When long-time Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger decided to hang up the cleats and retire following the 2021 NFL season, a wave of uncertainty clouded over the historic franchise. For the first time in 18 years, the Steelers would head into the season lacking an established starting quarterback. During the offseason, former General Manager Kevin Colbert and company made moves to find their next signal-caller. Between signing Mitch Trubisky, retaining Mason Rudolph and drafting University of Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett, all eyes were on the quarterback competition in Pittsburgh.
AP
The Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback room: Mason Rudolph (2), Mitch Trubisky (10) and Kenny Pickett (8).
Despite a strong training camp performance from Rudolph, it quickly became clear that the real competition was between Trubisky and Pickett. By the end of camp, Trubisky had been named starting quarterback and Pickett was number two on the depth chart. It didn't take long, however, for "Pickett" chants to be heard throughout Pittsburgh as Trubisky and the offense had yet to gel. Come Week 4 against the New York Jets, Pickett made his NFL debut in the second half. Pickett won over the hearts of Pittsburgh as he lead the Steelers to 9-8 season after a 2-6 start. Now everyone has the same question, how can the Steelers keep the momentum going into the 2023 season?
Good Morning Football Has The Keys To Success For The Steelers
Friday, Good Morning Football created the checklist for the franchise to succeed this upcoming season. First up on the list, of course, was Pickett continuing to develop. The young quarterback turned heads with his ability to come up big in important moments. It's a skill that you can't teach, and Pickett has the clutch gene. Mike Garafolo of Good Morning Football spoke on the quarterback.
"He knows what it takes to be a quarterback in the NFL. [He knows how] to play well when you need to play well, and at the right time of the game," said Garafolo. "We've seen that so far, and he needs to continue that."
Karl Roser/ Steelers.com
Kenny Pickett comes up big against the Baltimore Ravens.
Garafolo went on to discuss the second item on the checklist: Matt Canada.
Canada has been under heat throughout his time in the 412. He originally began his tenure with the Steelers as the quarterback coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator on January 25, 2021. While Canada's first season as offensive coordinator was highly scrutinized, many blamed Roethlisberger's lack of mobility at the ending stages of his career.
The 2022 NFL season was a fresh start for Canada, but unfortunately, he still didn't quite impress. It got to the point that many were expecting that the Steelers would part ways with the coordinator come the bye week. Head Coach Mike Tomlin opted to keep Canada on board and while things did get better for the Steelers, it wasn't convincing enough for him to solidify his role long-term. This upcoming season will be a turning point in Canada's career, for better or for worse.
Defense Wins Championships
The final point on the checklist was a dominant defense. Historically, the Steelers are most successful with a powerful defense. The Steelers were nearly unstoppable in 2008 with a defense headlined by Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, Ryan Clark and James Farrior. The defense had put together a season with 51 sacks, 32 turnovers and only 19 touchdowns allowed.
ESPN
The '08 Steelers defense featured on the cover of ESPN magazine.
The current defense has been compared to the great '08 defense. Led by Minkah Fitzpatrick, Cam Heyward and the 2021 AP Defensive Player of the Year, TJ Watt, it's hard to get by this group. With Watt out for the majority of the 2022 season, the defense was heavily impacted and not performing as expected. Headed into the 2023 season, Watt is healthy and ready to go. Another piece of concern this offseason was at cornerback, but newcomers Patrick Peterson and rookie Joey Porter Jr. are expected to step up. If all the pieces come together, Heyward said it best: this defense can be dominant.
With consistency from Pickett, strong play-calling from Canada and the defense coming together, the Steelers could have an incredible run in 2023. Did Garafolo leave out any key components or secrets to success? Let us know in the comments below.
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