Terry Bradshaw: Steelers ‘didn’t even do anything to build around’ Kenny Pickett

When the Pittsburgh Steelers prepared for life post-Ben Roethlisberger, they selected a nearby star in the 2022 NFL Draft. Kenny Pickett became the first quarterback off the board following a standout year at Pitt, arriving as the heir apparent to Roethlisberger.

Things didn’t quite go as planned, though, and Pickett only spent two years with the Steelers before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. In Pittsburgh legend Terry Bradshaw’s eyes, the franchise didn’t necessarily set him up for success.

Bradshaw assessed the dialogue around first-round quarterbacks, especially if they don’t find instant success in the NFL. But he sees the talent those players have. The key, then, is to build around them and give them the pieces to replicate their college success.

“I’ve always said this. You draft a quarterback in the first round, he is going to be successful,” Bradshaw said on the To The Point podcast. “But you’ve gotta surround him with the kind of talent he had in college. And they don’t do it, and they call him a bust.

“Baker Mayfield’s in Tampa Bay playing great now because he’s got talent around him. The Steelers getting rid of Kenny Pickett – a first-rounder – got rid of him after two years, alright? And they’re still looking for a quarterback. They didn’t even do anything to build around him. Sam Darnold goes into Minnesota, look at all those weapons. All those weapons, and look what happened. How great did he play?”

Pickett began his career as Mitchell Trubisky’s backup in Pittsburgh before eventually taking over the starting job in Week 4 of the 2022 season. He threw for 2,404 yards and seven touchdowns, to nine interceptions, during that span and entered 2023 as the starter. However, it was an up-and-down year as he threw for 2,070 yards and six touchdowns before injuries cut things short.

Ahead of the 2024 campaign, the Steelers traded Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he appeared in five games and made one start. Now, he’s on the fourth team of his career after Philadelphia traded him to the Cleveland Browns this offseason. Pickett is part of a quarterback room that also includes Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is looking at a third consecutive year with a different Week 1 starting quarterback. Justin Fields and Russell Wilson split time in the role last year, but both departed via free agency. The Steelers then signed Aaron Rodgers after a long pursuit, cementing a QB1 for the season opener against his former team, the New York Jets.