Who does Ben Roethlisberger prefer between QBs Mitchell Trubisky and Kenny Pickett for the Steelers starting spot?
Though he recognized the attributes of both QBs, the top franchise record holder ultimately stated that the veteran is the player that the Steelers should go with.
The former Steelers legend and future NFL Hall of Famer was clear about who would get his vote, for the starting spot that he left just last season.
Ben Roethlisberger weighs in on Steelers QB debate
With Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin yet to name his team’s starting quarterback, there has been intense speculation in recent weeks as to which player will get the nod. On the one side, there’s veteran signal caller Mitchell Trubisky - who it must be said will likely to land the spot - and on the other there is the impressive rookie, Kenny Pickett. Both of course have their merits, but Roethlisberger believes the choice is clear as he announced that he’d go with the seasoned Trubisky as opposed to the new kid on the block.
Former Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger weighs in on the current QB1 battle in Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/Py1MUDLBO4
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 5, 2022
It’s worth noting, that Roethlisberger may well be one of the people best situated to weigh in on who the Steelers should go with. After an 18-year career in which he won two Super Bowl wins and became the holder of just about each and every one of the franchise’s passing records, his word should not be taken lightly as to who gets the start when Pittsburgh takes on the Bengals on Sunday night. “In my opinion, I think Mitchell Trubisky is the starter,” Roethlisberger said on his new podcast. “He should start. He’s a veteran, he’s been around for a while, he gives you, in my opinion, the best chance to win right now.”
Big Ben also spoke about Kenny Pickett
Interestingly, Roethlisberger also acknowledged the impressive work that Pickett put in during the preseason. Indeed, through share force of will, the veteran QB saw his minutes increase bit by bit as the summer wore on. Ultimately, Pickett who is currently the 3rd choice QB on the roster would go on to throw three touchdowns with no interceptions, all the while completing over 80% of his passes during the preseason. “Kenny has done a great job,” Roethlisberger said. “From what I’ve seen in the preseason, you wouldn’t be like, ‘Oh man, he’s a rookie. He’s got some learning curves.’ ...I think he’s done a great job.”
Steelers Legend Ben Roethlisberger Thinks New Phenom Kenny Pickett Will Have “Different Kind Of Pressure” In 2022 #SteelersFootball #HereWeGo #SteelersNation #SteelersFamily https://t.co/SeuxD0MhN6
— Steelers Fans (@SteelersNewsNow) September 5, 2022
Another intriguing point made by Roethlisberger was in his reference to his own past as a rookie and what Pickett should try to take as a lesson from it. Fans will remember, that Big Ben sat behind the Steelers starter Tommy Maddox in his maiden season in the league back in 2004. It was only when Maddox got injured after just two games, that Roethlisberger was thrust into the fire and took to it like he belonged. As we now know, the Steelers legend would go on to win a record 15 regular season games as a rookie. “I would say this about almost all rookie quarterbacks, it benefits you to sit behind a veteran for a little bit of time,” Roethlisberger said. “And I think Mitch is a great leader, a great football player, he’s a great athlete, he’s a good quarterback. They brought him in here for a reason, and I think he’s going to mentor Kenny and I think he’ll really help Kenny a lot. But in my opinion, it should be Mitch’s job for the time being. If Mitch plays well, keep him in there. And even if Mitch has a bad game or something, it doesn’t mean [to] just yank him.”
Patience is what Ben Roethlisberger is asking of Steelers fans
Looking ahead to the season, Roethlisberger seemed to ask Steelers fans to be patient with highly likely scenario that Trubisky will get the starting role over Pickett in 2022. “People are so excited for Kenny, which they should be. He played at Pitt, they’re super excited for him,” Roethlisberger said. “I just hope the fans, the first time Mitch doesn’t play well, they don’t start booing him or yank him or do something like that. ... It will be interesting to see, but I do, in my opinion, feel that it’s Mitch’s job. He hasn’t done anything to lose the job. He’s played well enough to be the starter. But ultimately, it’s going to be Coach T’s decision.”