Rookie Kenny Pickett will open the season as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ backup quarterback, not Mason Rudolph.
The Steelers’ updated depth chart was released Tuesday ahead of Sunday’s Week 1 contest at Cincinnati.
Head coach Mike Tomlin named Mitch Trubisky as Pittsburgh’s starting signal-caller on Monday.
“Mitch Trubisky is our starting quarterback and our captain. We’re just really comfortable with what Mitch brings us,” Tomlin said Tuesday. “He comes to us with franchise quarterback credentials. He took care of the football. All of our quarterbacks did. I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that. It’s good to make a decision based on what people are doing, not what they’re not doing.
“Mitch is really comfortable in those shoes. Really pleased with the growth and development of Kenny, that’s why he’s No. 2. I thought his growth and development really took off when we started stepping into stadiums. I thought he grew and grew at a really fast pace. I think it’s reasonable to expect that growth and development to continue.”
Pickett, 24, was the 20th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Pitt. He completed 29 of 36 passes for 261 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the preseason.
Rudolph, 27, is entering his fourth season with the Steelers. He is 5-4-1 as a starter, passing for 2,366 yards with 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 17 games.
–Field Level Media