The Pittsburgh Steelers brought in Mitch Trubisky during the 2022 offseason with hopes of giving rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett a year to learn and grow in his first season in the NFL. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned and the Steelers had to turn to Pickett during their Week 4 matchup against the New York Jets.
After Trubisky was benched, it was all but certain he had played his last down in Pittsburgh as a starter. That's why it was surprising when the veteran quarterback decided to sign an extension with the Steelers this offseason keeping him in Pittsburgh through the 2025 season.
When the Steelers initially brought in Trubisky, they had high hopes after he sat behind Josh Allen with the Buffalo Bills during the 2021 season. But the offense struggled to get into any sort of rhythm with Trubisky under center and only averaged 17 points in his first three starts before he was benched for Pickett.
As Trubisky heads into 2023, the outlook for him at training camp is quite different than it was a year ago. He is set to be the backup behind Pickett and will likely be in that position throughout the next handful of seasons in Pittsburgh. But in sports, players can be valuable to their teams without physically being on the field with their teammates.
Second-year wide receiver, Calvin Austin III had words of extreme praise for Trubisky due to his demeanor and presence in the locker room.
"I'll always say something about him. He's definitely a real important piece. I'm just glad he's here. Mitch is somebody who, if you're having a bad day, he's going to be the guy to notice that and come over and pick you up."
When Trubisky spoke to CBS Sports, he mentioned how Pittsburgh 'felt like home' and mentioned how his family has made a connection with the city.
"I feel very welcomed here. It just feels like home. My family is from Cleveland, so that's not too far away, either. My wife and I love the team. My son was born here, and it feels like home."
Trubisky also spoke highly of the Steelers organization as a whole and how he can make an impact on the team in 2023.
"To be a part of this team is just special. This organization is special. Mr. Rooney, Omar [Khan], Coach T. [Mike Tomlin], they've really welcomed us. We just feel at home here. I'm willing to help the team any way I can. It feels good coming to work every day and being able to work with these guys."
Familiarity Will Be Key To Success For The Steelers Quarterback Room In 2023
Trubisky wasn't the only quarterback to sign another contract with the Steelers this offseason. Long-time backup Mason Rudolph re-signed with the team again and will likely be third on the depth chart heading into the Steelers Week 1 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
When Trubisky touched on having multiple familiar faces in the quarterback room, he stressed the importance of building chemistry within the position and how that can maximize the group's potential as a whole.
"We've got a great dynamic. We have lots of fun, but we also push each other in the quarterback room. We help each other out. There's a lot of communication on the field, in the film room, and then there's a lot of laughter and good times as well. We have great chemistry. We're always helping each other, and it's a very fun group to be around. I think we're enjoying that everybody is back. There's not many years that you get that, back-to-back quarterback rooms, so we just feel very comfortable around each other. But we are also able to have those hard conversations. I think that allows us to get better on the field, but also come closer as a group."
When it comes to getting the most out of Pickett in his second year in the NFL, having both Trubisky and Rudolph in the quarterback room for the second straight year will be a tremendous advantage.
Pickett had a very strong second half of his rookie season leading the offense on multiple game-winning drives in the fourth quarter and expectations are high heading into 2023. Having the same personnel around him will likely help Pickett jump right into where he left off in 2022 and have an even bigger season this year.
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