Overview
- Kevin Colbert said on 93.7 The Fan that Pittsburgh projected Pickett to be a “start‑and‑win” quarterback and that Pickett met expectations by going 14-10 in his two seasons as a starter.
- Pickett's underlying play in Pittsburgh was weak, with 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 24 starts and the lowest touchdown percentage in NFL history among quarterbacks with at least 500 pass attempts.
- After being traded by the Steelers, Pickett had brief stops with Philadelphia, Cleveland and Las Vegas and signed a one-year deal to serve as Bryce Young’s backup with the Carolina Panthers.
- Radio host Mark Madden and other pundits blamed former coach Mike Tomlin for both pushing the Pickett pick and failing to develop quarterbacks, a critique that surfaced as Tomlin left and Mike McCarthy took over.
- The debate over the Pickett selection highlights deeper limits on Pittsburgh's ability to acquire and develop blue‑chip quarterbacks because of rare high draft slots and owner Art Rooney II's refusal to pursue full rebuilds.