The Pittsburgh Steelers officially have moved on from former first-round draft pick Kenny Pickett. After two underwhelming seasons, the Steelers traded Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles for much less than his initial worth. As Pickett’s time in Pittsburgh ends, it is customary for players to thank the town they played for as they depart. However, with Pickett, it seems that tradition isn’t really being adhered to.

Pickett came into Pittsburgh with plenty of fanfare, being the hometown kid who had made his name at the University of Pittsburgh. The Steelers used their first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft for Pickett in the hopes that he would be the next great Pittsburgh quarterback. After two seasons, 13 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions, the Pickett era in Pittsburgh came to a disappointing end. It seems that Pickett felt disappointed as well when he crafted his farewell to his time in black and gold.

“Thank you, Pittsburgh! I came to this city 7 years ago and my life changed forever. Grateful for all of the amazing people I was fortunate enough to cross paths with, and for all of those who supported me along the way. I made life-long friendships and relationships that I will always cherish. Now, I am honored and excited for the next opportunity in my career- being able to play for the team that helped me find my love for the game as a kid. Go Birds!!”

After Ben Roethlisberger retired, the outpouring of love between him and Steelers’ fans was widespread and heartfelt. Granted, Roethlisberger’s career was ending after nearly two decades, several Super Bowl trips, and two championships. Pickett didn’t come close to accomplishing anything remotely like Roethlisberger, but there was still the expectation that the Steelers would be among those thanked.

Steelers’ Quarterback Room Already Upgraded

While Pickett has a 14-11 record as a starter for the Steelers, that is a deceiving statistic. Pickett played quarterback for those games but was hardly the catalyst for wins outside of some drives in the fourth quarter. Great quarterbacks have an innate ability to bring their teams back from the brink with little time left; the problem was that Pickett seemed to wait for those moments to come to life.

With Pickett’s career in Pittsburgh closed, the page now turns to the new names in the position room. Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, plus whoever else the Steelers decide to sign or draft, will be charged with bringing more success to Pittsburgh than they have had since Roethlisberger’s retirement. Simply not having a losing record isn’t enough; the franchise wants to start competing for playoff wins and beyond. That all starts by bringing in legitimate experience at the position, and removing any roadblocks.

Luckily, the starting quarterback for the 2024 Steelers won’t be asked to win the entire season on his own. Not only will they have the excellent combination of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren to hand the ball off to, emerging star, George Pickens, is eager to show what he can do. A talented, proud, expensive defense is also poised to hold up their end of the bargain. TJ Watt, for all his accomplishments and accolades, has never won a playoff game during his NFL career. That is something the team desperately wants to remedy, and it all starts by getting it right under center.