The Pittsburgh Steelers are still adjusting to life with star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger under center, with head coach Mike Tomlin and company trying to get this storied franchise back on track as one of the better teams in the AFC.
Fortunately for the Steelers, Tomlin believes in second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett to be Roethlisberger’s successor, as he’s expected to be the starter right out of the gate in Week 1 when they host the San Francisco 49ers.
With Pickett the undisputed starter in Pittsburgh, there have been questions about how much he’ll play in the preseason, but it seems Tomlin intends to get him quite a few reps via Pro Football Talk.
Head coach Mike Tomlin said in his Wednesday press conference, “All that are healthy are scheduled to play” when the Steelers take on the Buccaneers on Friday night. That includes starting quarterback Kenny Pickett.
When asked if Pickett needs more preseason reps given that he’s a young, relatively inexperienced quarterback, Tomlin smiled and said, “Yes” with a laugh.
Hopefully for Pittsburgh, Pickett can stay healthy throughout the preseason while learning a bit more about his position and how to handle himself as the starter to start the 2023 NFL season.
Want $250 to bet on the NFL?
Sign up today!
Although the Steelers missed the playoff last season, Pickett showed a lot of promise during his rookie season, and the franchise seems comfortable with putting all of its energy into developing the University of Pittsburgh product moving forward.
The Steelers will have a tough task ahead competing in arguably the best division in the NFL (AFC North) while trying to make it back to the playoffs.