The Pittsburgh Steelers have rarely selected quarterbacks in the first round of the NFL draft during the Super Bowl era. The black and gold have only picked four of them over the last 52 years and the previous three featured two Hall of Famers who won Lombardi Trophies, Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger.
Mark Malone, who was the third, held the franchise record for longest reception for nearly 20 years. No, that is not a misprint, he caught a 90-yard pass from Bradshaw. Malone also led the Steelers to an AFC Championship game against Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins.
Photo Credit: Matt Freed / Post-Gazette / Steelers Kenny Pickett, friends, and family anticipate his selection in the 2022 NFL Draft
The Steelers selected Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft and after an up-and-down start, he finished strong with an overall record of 7-5 and four come-from-behind victories in his rookie campaign. Pickett threw seven touchdowns versus nine interceptions, but also added three touchdowns rushing for the Steelers. The rookie did a great job down the stretch turning his season around and almost completely eliminating turnovers from his game.
He was not as ineffective as Bradshaw was in his rookie season, throwing for more touchdowns than the former number-one overall pick, and certainly didn’t turn the ball over nearly as much. Pickett wasn’t as successful as Roethlisberger, who may have had the best rookie quarterback season in the history of the league. He is somewhere in between the two Hall of Famers and that is a good sign that Pittsburgh got the pick right.
Steelers Rookie Kenny Pickett Draws Multiple Comparisons To Bengals Star Joe Burrow
Pickett has drawn a lot of comparisons to Joe Burrow in his short stay in the NFL, which is premature. Burrow has only been in the league three years, but he has proven already that he is a top-tier quarterback with a Super Bowl appearance to his credit. He came very close to a return trip but ultimately fell short against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game.
The NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger appeared on The Cook and Joe show on Thursday and discussed the Steelers’ rookie quarterback and the comparisons to the Cincinnati Bengals signal caller.
“I think Joe Burrow is the best pure passer in the league right now,” Baldinger said. “From a standpoint of just getting rid of the ball on timing and accuracy and all the things that go with it. I’m not saying Kenny Pickett isn’t accurate or anything like that, I think there’s a difference in arm strength and I think there is a difference in how they throw the football.”
Baldinger’s praise of Burrow echoes most of the national press. Burrow burst onto the scene last season after an injury ended his rookie campaign early with a surprising Super Bowl run. It is stunning how little credit Patrick Mahomes gets in comparison to Burrow but he plays for the Chiefs, and we are talking about Pickett. The comparisons between the two AFC North QBs are rooted in hand size and demeanor with both having abnormally small hands for NFL quarterbacks and an undeniable presence behind center.
Photo Credit: Karl Roser Pittsburgh Steelers / Kenny Pickett (8) Throws a Pass Against The Baltimore Ravens
It is hard to compare their arm strength because Pickett does not have the same opportunities in the intermediate passing game that Burrow has to prove himself. In Matt Canada’s offense, there are precious few opportunities to display arm strength beyond throwing go routes. Burrow has the advantage of working with Zac Taylor, a member of the trendy Sean McVay coaching tree.
“I would say that there is a difference in overall talent,” Baldinger concluded. “We’ll see how Kenny Pickett’s career plays out next to Joe Burrow’s. But I’d be a little surprised if his is better than Joe Burrow’s.”
Pickett was above .500 during his rookie season in 12 games, while Burrow only produced a 2-7-1 record. Burrow threw for 2,688 yards and 13 touchdowns versus five interceptions during his rookie campaign and also added three touchdowns on the ground. There is no arguing Burrow is a special player, but he currently is tied with Pickett at zero Lombardi Trophies.
The Steelers under Roethlisberger had the best quarterback in the AFC North for nearly two decades. His dominance of the division was a key component to the Steelers’ success in the 21st century. Bradshaw conversely was not a better pure passer than his Bengals counterpart Ken Anderson, but he won four Super Bowls in six seasons. Anderson lost his only Super Bowl appearance, sounds a little familiar right?
Both quarterbacks are on the same ladder staring up at Mahomes who figures to occupy the top rung in the AFC for the foreseeable future. Burrow has been in the league longer and has demonstrated superior passing ability. He is also saddled with a bad offensive line and is coming up on what will surely be a super contract that will cost him the little protection he has and likely one of his favorite targets in the passing game.
Photo Credit: Pittsburgh Steelers / Terry Bradshaw (12) calls play against the Bengals in the 1974 game
Pickett and the Steelers should not engage in an arms race with the Bengals. They brought in Andy Weidl from the Philadelphia Eagles front office to help Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan build a deep roster that can compete for the long term. Pickett might never catch Burrow as a passer like Bradshaw never quite caught Anderson. 50 years later the ‘lesser’ talent is in the Hall of Fame with four championship rings and spends every Sunday in America's living room. Do you think the former Bengals QB would trade places?
What do you think Steeler Nation? Are you satisfied with Pickett being second-best in the AFC North as long as the Steelers win the division? Please comment below or on my Twitter @thebubbasq.
#SteelerNation
