Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Kenny Pickett has been the talk of the off-season in the Steel City. The organization was forced to invest in a quarterback early in the 2022 NFL Draft after the retirement of longtime starter, Ben Roethlisberger. They did just that, selecting Pickett with the 20th overall pick in the first round. Since, the chatter in Pittsburgh has been just who will start at quarterback between Pickett and off-season acquisition, Mitch Trubisky.
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Mitch Trubisky takes part in the team's OTA's. (Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers)
For once, we will step aside from that debate and focus on some other related Kenny Pickett news, as he appeared on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday. In discussing a variety of topics, the Pittsburgh product unveiled the relationships he's been able to build with two Hall of Fame quarterbacks over the last few years:
"I play in the other fairway pretty much every time. Everyone's starting to invite me out to golf, and I've got to figure it out. Dan Marino invited me to go down, I'm trying to get the game right before I head down. Once in a while, he'll [Marino] reach out. I was with him for the ACC Championship game, [as] the night before he was getting honored and I had the ACC Player of the Year honor. We sat with each other for that event. My family got to meet him, my fiancée got to meet him, so it was great."
The connection there is obvious, as both attended the University of Pittsburgh. While the Steelers passed on Marino in the 1983 NFL Draft, the Hall of Famer remains entrenched in the city of Pittsburgh, as it's the place he grew up. Pickett's evolution throughout college and into his breakout 2021 senior year put his name on the map for many. In fact, he passed Marino for several passing records at Pittsburgh.
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Still, Pickett maintains a relationship with the legendary Dolphins quarterback. However, Dan Marino isn't the only Hall of Fame quarterback that Pickett has been able to build a relationship with, though:
"When I got into college, I got into a big routine. I went to Manning camp and got a chance to meet Peyton [Manning]. I've built a relationship with him. [I had] him go through his routine of a week, and I took that and brought it to Pitt. Now it's kind of just a lifestyle and what I like to do."
The Manning Passing Academy, what Pickett was referring to, is an annual event for some of the nation's top quarterbacks led by Peyton Manning. Pickett attributes the former Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos quarterback for his preparation and ability to establish a consistent routine. It's helped him fall in love with the game more and in turn, has elevated his play on the field.
What are your expectations for the Steelers QB transition?
Some may be wondering what Pickett's relationship is like with another (future) Hall of Fame quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger. Well, he mentioned that the former Steeler has reached out to him, but that was the extent of what he talked about with McAfee. In the meantime, learning from arguably two of the five best QBs ever in Manning and Marino, is a recipe for success, and it seems to be working.
How cool is it for a guy like Pickett to have relationships with Manning and Marino? Do you think Pickett and Roethlisberger will build a close relationship? Let us know your thoughts below!
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