Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin wouldn’t name a starting quarterback for Week 5 in Buffalo after benching starter Mitch Trubisky for rookie Kenny Pickett during Sunday’s 24-20 home loss to the Jets.
With the Steelers trailing 10-6 at halftime, Tomlin turned to Pickett after Trubisky went 7-for-13 passing for 84 yards and an interception. The No. 20 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft then went 10-for-13 passing for 120 yards and three interceptions, but he ran for a pair of 1-yard touchdowns and was warmly received by Steelers fans.
“We just thought we needed a spark,” Tomlin said about inserting the former Pitt quarterback into the game. “We didn’t do much in the first half, not enough offensively and thought he could provide a spark for us.
“I’m not going to talk extended as we sit here. We did what we needed to do to put ourselves in position to win this game. We’ll do it again. But I like to just keep it where we are in terms of what transpired here today. We’ll deal with next week, next week.”
With Trubisky serving as a bridge, it seemed only a matter of time before Pickett’s time would arrive, especially given the Steelers’ early season offensive struggles.
“Obviously, it’s a rebuilding year,” Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson told reporters Sunday. “We can’t use that as an excuse. It doesn’t matter who is at quarterback or any position. It’s our job to get it done and win games. That’s what we have to do — win.”
–Field Level Media