Steelers’ Kenny Pickett To Friend Damar Hamlin After Savage Cheap Shot 'Come On Man'

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected quarterback Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. When the organization selected him, they did not plan to start him right away. The team had signed Mitch Trubisky during the offseason and it was Trubisky that started Week 1.

That, however, did not last long. By halftime of Week 4 Trubisky had been benched and the young rookie was under center. While Steelers fans everywhere were elated to see Pickett come in, they were all concerned about his first major challenge - Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills in Buffalo. 

These Bills aren't the Bills of yesteryear. These Bills have been slowly building a Super Bowl-caliber team for the past few years. One of their young stars is no stranger to Pickett. 

Steelers’ Kenny Pickett Said Come On Man To Damar Hamlin

Pickett attended the University of Pittsburgh and played football for the Panthers. This gave him an unparalleled level of familiarity with Head Coach Mike Tomlin and many of the players on the team. It also gave coach Tomlin and some of the players familiarity with another Panther - Damar Hamlin who was also a Western Pennsylvania native. 

Since Hamlin's cardiac arrest on the field in January of 2023, much has been made about his time at Pitt and his connections on the team. Thankfully, Hamlin has made a full recovery and was recently cleared to return to practice. On the Pivot Podcast, which is hosted by former Steeler Ryan Clark and former Miami Dolphin Channing Crowder, Pickett discussed that first game against Hamlin, months before his collapse.  

Everyone knew that game was going to be a tough game. On the podcast, Clark calls the game "horrific" and asks Pickett about the hit from Hamlin. 

"That week is your first week starting, and the game is going terribly, and you're fighting. The funny thing from that game is that Damar hits you late. Damar Hamlin hits you late on the sideline. For you, in that game, and it's going bad. Obviously we don't know what's going to happen later on in the season with Damar. In that moment, your homeboy from school hits you, what are you thinking to yourself? 'Should I steal on him?' Do quarterbacks do that?"

Pickett is laughing about the hit as he recalls what happened. 

"So I slid and he hit me late and I just got up and was just like 'Come on man.' I've known Damar so long, we've been going at it a long time - practices, you name it. Every day in practice, we would go at it. Love him to death, but every day. It's good competing. He gets up and was like, 'Man I was worried about the fake slide.' I was like, 'Get the f**k out of here,' laughing." 

Pickett said that despite being friends with Hamlin, emotions run high during games. Pickett is a competitor and while no one gave the Steelers a chance to win that game, that didn't mean that the players weren't going to fight as hard as they could. 

"Come on bro. We were on the same locker row together at Pitt, they whipped our a** for sure. Just competing man, trying to win. P*ssed off being down that much, the emotions get to you a bit."      

The slide that Hamlin is referring to is something that Pickett became known for while at Pitt and Clark asked about how it came to be. 

"Honestly, I swear to God, it was an in-the-moment thing, I never practiced it. They pulled up 10 yards away and I'm like, 'I got a lot of room to run.' I thought I hit a stutter step and I was out, but when I watched it on tape, I was like, ‘Yeah, that's a fake slide.' I dragged my foot and everything. A lot of people were upset, you guys were defensive guys, so I'm sure you guys were on TV bashing me. It's in the rule book now, so it's gone."

Hamlin and Pickett were more than just locker row mates. After Hamlin's collapse, Pickett said that he was "like family." The two players were co-captains together at Pitt. Despite being on opposing sides of the field, now their friendship is something special. 

"I think football creates bonds like no other sport," Pickett said. "I played basketball. I played baseball. Football has something special to it. You just go through so many ups and downs together. Having four years with Damar, my teammates are all over the NFL. We continue to stay in touch. He's like family to me." 

What did you think when you saw the hit Pickett is talking about? Did you think it was late? Do you think it is difficult to sustain friendships when you are on opposing sides of the ball? What did you think when you heard the news Hamlin was returning to play? Did you ever see Pickett's slide? Do you think it is something that should be illegal in the NFL? Talk to us! Click to comment below. 

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