Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mitchell Trubisky likely entered Sunday's preseason finale against the Detroit Lions needing to eliminate any potential doubt had by head coach Mike Tomlin regarding who should start the Week 1 matchup at the Cincinnati Bengals between the veteran and rookie Kenny Pickett.
Trubisky helped his cause with his best showing of the month, as he took every snap with the starters and completed 15-of-19 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown in the 19-9 victory over Detroit. During a segment that aired on NFL Network on Monday, insider Ian Rapoport made it clear that he expects Tomlin to hand the gig to Trubisky over Pickett despite the wishes of fans who chanted the first-year pro's name during Sunday's contest.
"It would be a surprise, I would say, if Mitchell Trubisky was not named the starting quarterback for the Steelers," Rapoport explained during his latest update on the situation. "All signs certainly point to that just based on his play, from what we've heard about how he's conducted himself, how he's been in camp, the fact that he's been QB1 from the beginning.
"He played really well this weekend and seemed to be solidifying where it stands. That said, this is a really good situation for the Steelers because it's not just Trubisky playing well. It's also Kenny Pickett coming on. From day one, he's been really impressive.
"It seems like it's a matter of when, not if, for Kenny Pickett. It's just hard to see, at this point, the Steelers going with an unproven rookie for Week 1, but maybe soon."
From NFL Now: While the signs have been pointing to Mitch Trubisky for a while, #Steelers coach Mike Tomlin will announce his QB at his leisure. pic.twitter.com/P7oZcDwbWW
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 29, 2022
For a piece published by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on Sunday, analyst and radio personality Mark Madden noted that Trubisky "played so well that he clearly won a nonexistent quarterback competition" and that Tomlin always intended on naming the 28-year-old his starter over Pickett and backup Mason Rudolph. Tomlin said he will publicly announce his decision "at our leisure," but it certainly sounds like experts believe the call has already been made.
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