When the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Kenny Pickett in the first round back in 2022, Steelers Nation thought they’d found their fairy tale ending. Here was the hometown Pitt Panthers star, staying right where he belonged. Despite the whispers about whether he was really worth that first-round selection, many fans convinced themselves this was destiny — the perfect quarterback to lead their beloved franchise into the post-Ben Roethlisberger era.
That fairy tale crashed and burned pretty quickly. Pickett spent two forgettable seasons in black and gold, leading an offense that couldn’t scare anyone. When Pittsburgh signed Russell Wilson last offseason, Pickett wanted out — and fast. The Steelers shipped him to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he’d be firmly planted on the bench behind Jalen Hurts.
Now Pickett’s returning to Pittsburgh this Saturday to support his alma mater, and if last year’s reception was any indication, Steelers fans are ready to let the boos rain down. They didn’t exactly roll out the welcome mat the last time he showed his face in town.
The Ultimate Comeback Pickett Has in His Back Pocket
But here’s the thing — Pickett has the perfect response if those boos start cascading down.
He’s got a Super Bowl ring.
While Pittsburgh’s quarterback carousel kept spinning, Pickett didn’t just hold a clipboard in Philly. He appeared in five regular-season games and even made a start. More importantly, he got into two playoff games — including the Super Bowl itself. That’s right, it was Pickett taking the victory formation kneel-downs as the Eagles wrapped up their championship.
Sure, he wasn’t exactly Patrick Mahomes out there carrying the team. But facts are facts — Kenny Pickett has a Super Bowl ring with his childhood team. What comeback can Steelers fans possibly have for that?
Wilson might’ve put up better stats than Pickett did in Pittsburgh, but the end result looked awfully familiar. A hot start, a late-season fade, and another one-and-done playoff appearance. Classic recent Steelers football. Now they’re stuck in a waiting pattern with Aaron Rodgers, hoping the aging star might solve their QB problems in 2025.
Making matters even spicier, Pickett now wears the orange and brown of the Cleveland Browns — one of Pittsburgh’s fiercest AFC North rivals. That alone will fuel Steelers fans to try even harder to get under his skin this weekend.
But if they start booing, all Pickett needs to do is flash that championship ring. Nothing silences a crowd of disappointed fans quite like hardware they haven’t seen their team win since 2008.
