The Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled with the quarterback position since the legendary Ben Roethlisberger retired after 18 seasons with the team. In the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Steelers drafted local star Kenny Pickett, who had played college football in the same stadium. Pickett faced a tough situation in Pittsburgh and struggled during his two seasons with the team.
After the 2023 season ended, the Steelers had a decision to make. They saw an opportunity to sign nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson for the veteran minimum on a one-year deal. The Steelers took that opportunity, seemingly ready to give Pickett some real competition. When Pickett learned about the signing of Wilson, he was unhappy and requested a trade. The Steelers then sent Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles, ending his brief tenure with the team.
There has been much debate about who is really to blame for Pickett's struggles. Football pundit Warren Sharp, in his new book 2024 Football Preview, dedicated a section to the Steelers, accusing the organization of setting Pickett up to fail.
"If you draft a QB in the first round, and then feed him to the wolves that are Matt Canada's play calls as a rookie, and then don't realize Canada sucks and keep him in 2023, guaranteeing another offseason without good offensive tutelage, and then fire Canada midseason, but replace him with a tandem of two coaches who have never called plays in the NFL before, what are you expecting that you'll get?”
One of the biggest criticisms of the Steelers has been their prolonged retention of Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada. Initially hired as the quarterbacks coach on January 15, 2020, Canada was promoted to offensive coordinator a year later.
Under Canada, the Steelers' offense reached new lows, consistently ranking near the bottom of the league in every key category. His play calling was widely criticized, leading fans to frequently chant "Fire Canada" during games. The breaking point came in November after a 13-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns, prompting the organization to fire Canada.
This decision was historic, marking the first time since 1941 that Pittsburgh dismissed a coach mid-season. Sharp believes that keeping Canada for too long was a significant mistake by Pittsburgh, ultimately contributing to the organization's failure to support Pickett effectively.
"I'm not pro-Pickett, but the way the Steelers "supported" their first round QB and hopeful heir apparent to Big Ben was embarrassing," Sharp wrote.
The hard truth is that while Canada was not a good offensive coordinator in the NFL, the situation was a mix of factors. Yes, Pickett was thrown into a difficult situation, but in his two seasons, he recorded just 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, going 14-10 as a starter in Pittsburgh. Many argue that he was limited by Canada's system, which is fairly obvious. However, the Steelers felt that Pickett needed true competition regardless.
There are many cases where a quarterback in the NFL struggles solely because of a system, and in their eyes, Pickett's struggles were also partially on him. While Pickett had some big moments leading the Steelers in the clutch. The organization felt as if he had a lot of trying moments. Football pundits speculate that Pickett was limited by Canada's system, and that is likely true. However, it does not mean that Pickett should have been guaranteed anything in Pittsburgh.
Steelers Were Hopeful Kenny Pickett Would Learn From Russell Wilson
The way his tenure ended in Pittsburgh was disappointing. The Steelers hoped he would have competed with Wilson for the job and benefited from a fresh system under new Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith. When the Steelers got Wilson, they thought it could motivate Pickett to prove he is the guy. It did the opposite. Pickett did not want any part of that and wanted out.
The debate remains: who was the real problem, Pickett or Canada? It seems it was a mix of both, with Pickett being thrown into a tough spot. Sharp believes the Steelers embarrassed themselves with how they set Pickett up. Now, the Steelers look to Wilson to lead Pittsburgh in 2024.
