Pickett leads QB charge at Steelers as Roethlisberger offers to mentor
Ben Roethlisberger has offered to lend a helping hand to Kenny Pickett as the rookie quarterback looks set to start for the Steelers from the off.
After 18 seasons at the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Ben Roethlisberger era has come to an end and it seems the franchise has placed its faith in Kenny Pickett to succeed the man who became fondly known as “Big Ben” at Heinz Field. Pickett was a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft from the University of Pittsburgh and the 23-year-old quarterback has revealed that Roethlisberger has offered to act as a mentor as he prepares to enter his rookie season.
“He told me he’d always be available for me if I have questions or want some advice,” Pickett said. “He is an incredible player, a Hall of Famer, so he’s definitely someone I’ll be using as a sounding board in the next few weeks.”
Roethlisberger’s offer suggests Pickett has moved even closer to being anointed as the new starter for the Steelers, something which head coach Mike Tomlin suggested may be the case in a recent interview: “He certainly has a chance,” Tomlin told NFL Network. “I agree with that sentiment of his readiness from a professional perspective. We thought he had pro-level anticipation. We thought he had pro-level accuracy. Often times, those are two variables that really require a lot of adjustment from a quarterbacking standpoint. We felt he came ready-made in those ways. Hopefully that’s an asset to him in terms of being able to compete and being ready, if his performance dictates it.”
Pickett brushing up on playbook
Picket also revealed he has been studying the Steelers’ offense in an attempt to get ahead of his rivals for the starters’ spot, Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rupolph. “I won’t have a chance if I don’t,” he said. “So I’ve been studying the playbook, learning every possible detail to give us the best opportunity to work right off.”