Steelers Great Ben Roethlisberger Wouldn't Make Terrible Excuses Like Kenny Pickett For Not Feeding George Pickens According To Radio Host

The Pittsburgh Steelers have managed to climb to the top of the AFC North a little sooner than most expected. The problems with this team are not in dispute. Mike Tomlin retained the offensive coordinator and Matt Canada is bad at his job. The defense is a work in progress around TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith. All that being said, drink it in Steeler Nation. The view from the top of the division is familiar and fantastic. Enjoy it.

The Steel Here Podcast premiered its latest episode with Kevin Adams and Jersey Jerry on Wednesday night. The duo welcomed Andrew Fillipponi as their guest after the 23-18 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3. Fillipponi is the co-host of The PM Team w/Poni & Mueller on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh along with Chris Mueller.

Kenny Pickett’s early-season performance has been one of the issues that has plagued the Steelers through the first three weeks of the season. Fillipponi, for those unfamiliar with his work, is the founder and President of the Pickett Fan Club. The Steelers signal-caller has not had a signature regular-season game to demonstrate he is ready to climb into the conversation as a top-tier quarterback. Fillipponi shares his unfiltered thoughts on why it hasn’t happened yet.

“I came into this season with the expectation he was going to be one of the very best quarterbacks in the entire NFL,” Fillipponi began. “That looks like a massive L on my part through three games. I don’t think it is even remotely close to all his fault. I’m still waiting for him to have this game that reinforces my belief. I’ve started having the worst possible thoughts of the coaching he is getting.”

Canada's long hours spent teaching Pickett the many nuances of the jet sweep notwithstanding, Fillipponi is right on the mark here. He has Canada and Mike Sullivan, who do not have very successful NFL resumes to guide him. The offense is pathetically predictable, and if the Steelers make a serious run, it will be because the playmakers have overcome a bad scheme. 

Pickett played much better against the Raiders. He finally got the monkey off his back and threw for two touchdowns in one game. Jersey Jerry reminded viewers that Ben Roethlisberger was a game manager early in his career, and the Steelers won a Super Bowl playing good defense and conservative offense. Adams reminded the audience that the NFL was very different when Roethlisberger entered the league.

“I’m still yearning for this game that lets me puff my chest a little bit as the president of his fan club,” Fillipponi added. “The thing about Ben, just to go back to Jerry’s point about Ben’s first two years, the idea that teams needed to score 30 plus points to win a Super Bowl really didn’t exist yet. If I could sit him down [Pickett], the one (piece of) advice I would give him is I have had a ton of conversations with Roethlisberger. When Ben had [Antonio Brown], I wouldn’t hear him say stuff like, 'We are taking what the defense gives us.'”

The differences between Pickett and Roethlisberger are legion. They are two completely different quarterbacks, and both styles can win in the NFL. Roethlisberger was a naturally gifted gunslinger who played the game like few in the NFL ever have.  

He found ways to put the ball in his best playmaker’s hands, like Antonio Brown, Hines Ward, Heath Miller and Le'Veon Bell. Pickett is evolving as a more deliberate signal-caller intent on making the right decision on each play. Bad coaching affects Pickett more. It has not been an easy transition for fans who were used to Roethlisberger's playground style of playing quarterback. 

“He made sure that his best player got the ball a lot in every game,” Fillipponi said. “I’m just hearing Kenny come up with too many excuses for why they don’t go to Pickens more. I don’t like that. He said after the game, they were double-teaming George and taking him away. First of all, that is not entirely true. I thought he exaggerated that. Number two, who cares? It’s up to you as a coaching staff and as a quarterback to involve that player more often.”  

Steelers' Kenny Pickett Sees Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown-Like Connection With George Pickens

Roethlisberger has made no secret of his thoughts on how special Pickens is as a pass catcher. The future Hall of Fame quarterback almost salivates when he thinks of what he could have done with the unreal talent of the second-year wide receiver. Pickett is no less a fan of what Pickens can do on the field, but he only sometimes recognizes one-on-one opportunities for him when they come. 

Fillipponi has not given up on Pickett, but has taken his lumps to start the season. Fans have roasted him on the radio, and for the most part, he has taken the almost daily beatings with the same humility he displayed in the appearance with Adams and Jersey Jerry. Despite what the calendar says, Pickett still has yet to have an entire season under his belt as a starter. He still has plenty of time to shape the narrative his biggest fan envisioned when he was tapped to wear the black and gold. The question is, will he?

What do you think, Steeler Nation? Did Fillipponi do a good job explaining the flaws in Pickett's game, and are you surprised by the pivot? Please comment below, or on my Twitter/X: @thebubbasq. 

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