PHILADELPHIA — Kenny Pickett was not a major focus for Howie Roseman before the University of Pittsburgh hosted Sam Howell and North Carolina in an intriguing Atlantic Coast Conference game on Nov. 11, 2021.
NFL scouts and general managers like Roseman packed the luxury boxes primarily because there were several professional prospects on the field that evening, starting with Pickett and Howell who were graded as first-round picks.
Despite heavy rain, Pickett continued to throw the ball with ease. This impressive performance was not forgotten during the evaluation process before the 2021 draft. Pickett’s hands measured only 8.5 inches from thumb to pinky, which is notably small for a quarterback to grip the ball under all conditions.
Pickett had an outstanding performance that evening, completing 25 of 43 passes for 346 yards with three touchdowns and just one interception to lead Pitt to a 30-23 victory. Now he is back with Roseman, after the Eagles gave up a third-round pick and two seventh-round selections to acquire Pickett, who hails from Ocean Twp., N.J. and used to attend Eagles games with his father when Donovan McNabb and Jeff Garcia were playing for the team.
“When I spoke with Howie, I believe he mentioned that it was the first college game he attended in three years,” Pickett recalled at an availability on Monday. “That Thursday night game when we played North Carolina at Heinz Field, great memory that I had at Pitt. It was really cool that he was in attendance and made it a point to be there after not previously going to a lot of games. I knew that there was definitely interest back in my Pitt days.”
Due to Covid, it was Pickett's fifth season of eligibility. Nevertheless, at the school where Dan Marino secured a national championship, Pickett became Pitt’s all-time leader in passing yards.
Afterward, Pickett was drafted as the 20th overall pick to the Steelers while Howell was selected as a distant fifth-round pick for Washington. Pickett (6-3, 220) appeared to be a success as a Steelers starter before an injury setback, then losing his job to Mason Rudolph, who subsequently left in free agency for the Tennessee Titans. Last week, the Steelers acquired veteran Russell Wilson, indicating the end of Pickett's time with the team. Following Pickett's trade, the Steelers acquired Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears.
“I just felt it was time from the things that transpired,” Pickett said. “I wanted to get a chance to go somewhere else and continue to grow my career. The fact that it’s in Philly, the place I grew up and found my love for the game here, with a great coaching staff, great players, I’m looking forward to meeting all these guys in a couple weeks when everyone gets back in town. I think it’s an awesome opportunity to join this team.”
Clearly, there was no future in Pittsburgh for Pickett, who had a 14-10 record as the starter with 13 TD passes and 13 interceptions. Howell had a 5-13 record for Washington, which is expected to select a quarterback with the second overall pick in the upcoming draft.
Pickett will support Jalen Hurts as a backup for the Eagles, and while it's not the ideal experienced presence for the No. 2 position, it will suffice for now.
Pickett expressed that this opportunity with the team and the quarterback group is a positive restart for him. He aims to assist his teammates and be prepared when he is called upon to play in the future.
He observed the Eagles' offensive plays from last year and noticed that they often utilize Jalen in run-pass option plays. He believes he can execute similar plays. Additionally, he studied the strategies of Coach Kellen Moore in L.A. and Dallas, particularly in working with Dak Prescott and Justin Herbert. Pickett feels confident in his ability to adapt to different systems and is eager to absorb as much as possible.
