Steelers' Kenny Pickett Absolutely Slammed By A Brutal Antonio Brown Takedown

Former Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro wide receiver, Antonio Brown, has never been one to shy away from the spotlight. Since his unceremonious exit from the NFL, Brown has been outspoken regarding a variety of topics. On Saturday, Brown once again took to social media with a Steelers quarterback in his sights.

As of late, it has been the wild and unexpected happenings that have kept Brown relevant and in headlines, rather than anything to do with what he accomplished on the football field. His latest tirade has Steelers' young quarterback, Kenny Pickett, as the target. Apparently, Brown has very little faith in Pickett to lead Pittsburgh and isn't shy about saying so, as he wrote on X/Twitter.

Brown enjoyed incredible success on the football field with future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger throwing passes. While Pickett certainly hasn't shown anything close to what Roethlisberger brought to the Steelers, Brown is holding the third-year quarterback to a particular standard.

The Steelers have indeed been linked to practically every quarterback, from Justin Fields to Ryan Tannehill. Going off Brown's post, he would rather have any of them than Pickett under center in 2024. There have been instances where Brown's posts have been particularly wild and sporadic, but on this subject, he is far from alone.

After another season where Pickett didn't live up to expectations, the concern is legitimate. Injuries, a lack of pocket presence, and a risk-averse approach to the offense have many wondering if Pickett should have been seen as a first-round value. He has the same amount of interceptions as touchdowns in his short career (13 touchdowns, 13 interceptions), and that simply isn't good enough for someone with so much invested in him. If Pickett was supposed to be a project, then circumstances would be different, but the exact opposite was hoped for.

Pickett came into the NFL as a prospect who was supposed to be more league-ready than the other quarterbacks in his class. He was older, had 52 collegiate games under his belt, and was supposed to hit the ground running. That hasn't been the case, as Steelers fans find themselves wondering if Pickett was the right choice. Entering his third NFL season, Pickett has another chance to prove Brown and the other doubters wrong.

Steelers Preparing For Pickett To Stay The Same

Considering the first-round draft pick that the Steelers have invested in Pickett, getting a third season to prove his worth was practically a given. However, just because Pittsburgh is willing to give the experiment another season, doesn't mean they are putting all their eggs into one basket. The high chance of Pickett getting injured or simply not raising the bar is real, so the Steelers need to be prepared.

With the 2024 NFL Combine in the rearview mirror, the rumors surrounding the Steelers and the slew of quarterbacks have been running rampant. Pittsburgh hasn't confirmed one way or the other regarding their quarterback situation, but they know they can't put their full belief in Pickett, not after the limited production he has put forth thus far. The prospect of either Fields or Kirk Cousins wearing black and gold in 2024 isn't too far-fetched, with both quarterbacks ready to give the offense a bigger spark than Pickett has provided to this point in his young career.

When Pickett was drafted in 2022, the quarterback competition was more for show than an actual battle. Mason Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky were the other two that Pickett was up against, but there was always the sense that Pickett would end up under center. Trubisky started the season, but never really got the offense going, which led to the earlier-than-expected beginning of the Pickett era.

With Pickett heading into his third NFL season, it seems like that era is quickly closing. Rudolph ended up being the catalyst for the Steelers' unexpected finish to the 2023 season, making many wonder what Pittsburgh's offense could be without Pickett. Granted, there was Matt Canada in the middle of it all, which muddied the waters, but this is the time for Pickett to leave it all on the field. With an actual quarterback competition on the horizon, the former first-round pick needs to excel, or otherwise his hometown story won't end happily.

Who should be Kenny Pickett's competition in 2024? Thoughts on Brown's assessment of Pickett? Comment below!

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