Steelers' Window To Evaluate Polarizing Kenny Pickett Is Quickly Closing Says Brian Billick

The Pittsburgh Steelers felt confident in their choice to fill the massive shoes of Ben Roethlisberger after his retirement when the 2021 season concluded: Kenny Pickett. The former University of Pittsburgh quarterback was expected to sit behind Mitch Trubisky and learn, but mediocre play launched Pickett into the starting position earlier than planned. His 2022 rookie season ended on a 7-2 high, but in 2023, it hasn't been as successful. After yet another injury, the questions on Pickett's future in Pittsburgh and as a franchise quarterback are becoming more common, and one Super Bowl-winning former head coach believes that the Steelers need to make that decision sooner rather than later.

Steelers Unsure About Pickett Beyond 2023?

Former head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, Brian Billick, joined The Cook & Joe Show on 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday, and the first thing to come up was Pickett. Concussions were a problem in Pickett's rookie season, and in 2023, the injury bug has reared its head too often for Steelers fans to feel comfortable. Thanks to more missed time by Pickett, Mitch Trubisky will be filling in, but there is more lost here than just game time for the second-year quarterback.

Billick was asked whether he believes that Pickett is the guy for the Steelers into the future, something that has certainly been on the mind of Steelers supporters all over as 2023's challenges continue.

"I thought at the latter part of last year [2022] as he came on that he showed the signs that, oh, okay, this is gonna be a guy. Bill Walsh was a firm believer that by the 24th, 25th start, you know whether a guy is the guy or not... very rarely, if it's not happened by then, it's likely not gonna happen. And we're right at that cusp, I think, with Kenny Pickett. I don't know."

As of Wednesday, Pickett has 25 total games under his belt in the NFL, so that window that Billick talked about is just on the verge of closing if he isn't a franchise quarterback for Pittsburgh moving forward. Considering that the Steelers invested a first-round draft pick on Pickett, the prospect of throwing in the towel and starting over under center isn't an attractive thought for many fans in Pittsburgh. If the reality of the situation is that Pickett simply isn't someone who can captain this offense beyond 2024, then going back to the drawing board might be the smartest choice they could make.

Steelers Off-The-Field Issues Might Be Interfering With Pickett's Growth

When the question of Pickett's maturity as a professional quarterback comes up, it's nearly impossible to consider the situation without taking Matt Canada into account. While the Steelers may have fired Canada following their 2023 Week 11 embarrassment, the ghost of his ineptitude still lingers. Pickett hasn't made the kind of jump from 2022 into 2023 that was expected, despite Mike Tomlin's insistence on playing down most of the challenges that have been going on.

Evaluating Pickett on his own is difficult because the conversation inevitably becomes about what is going on around him, rather than only looking at his play on the field. Whether it is Canada, the lack of veteran weapons, a shaky offensive line, or injuries, Pickett seems to be a product of his surroundings, and that hasn't gone well so far. Billick also understands the challenge in evaluating a quarterback when the organization around him is having issues, and to the retired head coach, that is something that absolutely must be taken into account.

"One of the hardest things to do is to separate the play of a quarterback from what's going on around him. So, to evaluate him, you have to take into account what's going on around him...So, I don't know that I'd give up on Kenny Pickett, but, you know, there's some serious questions that still remain, and they need the answer!"

The Steelers have to find some way of being sure about Pickett's future in Pittsburgh, one way or the other. Many believe that the Roethlisberger era went on for a few years too long, and that held the Steelers back from moving on and finding a true franchise quarterback. This time around, the Steelers have the chance to be sure of their determination, even if it means the Pickett era ends much sooner than anticipated.

Is Kenny Pickett the quarterback for the long-term future of the Pittsburgh Steelers?