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The Steelers’ decision to go all-in on Russell Wilson, which ultimately led to Kenny Pickett asking for and getting traded, brings to mind what Grand Moff Tarkin said to Darth Vader in “Star Wars: A New Hope.”
“I’m taking an awful risk, Vader. This had better work.”
Steelers president Art Rooney II probably said something of that effect to Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan after Pittsburgh decided to sign Wilson while abruptly ending the Pickett era after two years. The Wilson experiment has to work, or else.
Regardless, the events of the past week in Pittsburgh reinforces the dysfunction that exists within the team.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting that the Steelers traded Pickett because of the way he reacted to the Wilson signing. Pickett probably didn’t handle it well, but who can blame him? How would you expect him to react to watching some of his teammates (Cam Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick and T.J. Watt among them) openly recruit another quarterback while he was still on the roster?
Pickett deserves credit for how he handled a situation that was nothing short of a nightmare. He was forced to clean up Mitch Trubisky’s mess a month into the 2022 season. And despite not getting any first-team reps prior to making his NFL debut, Pickett helped the Steelers finish with a 9-8 record after a 3-7 start.
Pickett continued to play winning football in 2023 despite it becoming more and more clear that his offensive coordinator was in over his head. He had his best game of the season immediately following Matt Canada’s dismissal after Week 11. But he got injured a week later against the Cardinals, and that was the beginning of the end of his time in Pittsburgh.
I’m not giving Pickett a complete pass. Surely there are things he could have done better during his short time in Pittsburgh. But given the circumstances around him, and how the Steelers have managed that position since…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/steelers-trading-kenny-pickett-reveals-teams-inner-dysfunction-pittsburgh-now-goes-all-in-on-russell-wilson/
Author : Bryan DeArdo
Publish date : 2024-03-15 20:47:37
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