How Steelers' Kenny Pickett worked to improve hand size before draft

Current Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett has discussed how he attempted to change his much-scrutinized hand measurements ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft. 

"I stretched them out a little bit," Pickett admitted during an appearance on "The Pivot Podcast," as shared by Alex Kozora of Steelers Depot. "I was doing some exercises. I was 8 1/2 at the combine. I got them to 8 5/8 at pro day. I was trying everything I could. I was sleeping in a splint to stretch my hand out. I'll do whatever it takes." 

Pickett didn't have his hands measured at the Senior Bowl so he allegedly could "develop a more accurate measurement" regarding his double-jointed thumb. As he mentioned, his hand measurement changed from 8 1/2 inches at the scouting combine to 8 5/8 inches at Pittsburgh's pro day. 

After the Steelers made Pickett the 20th-overall choice in the draft, Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin explained he wasn't worried about the hand-size measurements because of how well the signal-caller played at what is now known as Acrisure Stadium, home of both the Pittsburgh Panthers and Steelers. 

"It's something you can't really control," Pickett said of the often-repeated takes about his hand size before last year's draft. "At the end of the day, I'm just going to go throw. I played in the second-coldest game in (Acrisure Stadium) history and we won in the two-minute drill. So we did alright." 

According to ESPN stats, Pickett ended the 2022 regular season tied for 19th among qualified players with a 51.5 adjusted QBR. He went 7-5 as a starter and threw seven touchdown passes and nine interceptions in 13 games, but he tossed just one pick after Week 8. 

"Once they find something in the draft process, they're going to hammer it home until the draft," Pickett said about criticisms voiced about prospects each year. "You just hear the negatives and not much of the positives." 

Assuming Pickett makes a big jump in his second pro season, this may be the last anybody hears about his hand size for some time.