Kenny Pickett apparently thought the media didn’t want to hear from a backup quarterback.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Pickett did not attend the Steelers’ final media availability following their season-ending wild-card loss to the Bills on Monday.
His lack of presence prompts further inquiries over his future with the team that selected him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Once thought to be Ben Roethlisberger’s heir apparent for the Steelers, Mason Rudolph may have Wally Pipp’d Pickett, starting the playoff loss.
Before the Steelers’ season came to an end in a 31-17 loss to the Bills, Rudolph took over as the starting quarterback in Week 15 and guided the team to three straight victories and a postseason berth.
Pickett said he was healthy enough to return in Week 17 against the Seahawks after recovering from an ankle injury, but coach Mike Tomlin rode with Rudolph down the stretch.
The Steelers now enter the offseason with a potential quarterback controversy.
Pickett has underwhelmed in his two seasons leading the team, throwing for fewer than 2,500 yards in each season while missing nine games over his first two years.
He’s thrown just 13 touchdowns and also tossed 13 interceptions in his 25 career starts, with the touchdowns sticking out in an era where quarterbacks light up the scoreboards.
In 12 games this season, Pickett passed for 2,070 yards, six touchdowns, four interceptions, and one rushing touchdown.
The team’s third-string quarterback going into the season was Rudolph, a third-round selection in 2018, but he performed admirably toward the end of the game.
In the defeat on Monday, he completed 229 yards of passing with two touchdowns and one interception.
It’s possible that Pickett will try to wrest the job back from Rudolph at camp, or he might ask for a trade.
Whichever path, Steelers supporters won’t be able to learn Pickett’s feelings until the team’s subsequent scheduled media availability, such as OTAs.
