Kenny Pickett Loses Browns Starting QB Battle

Former Pitt Panthers quarterback Kenny Pickett arrived in Cleveland this offseason with a chance to earn a starting job, but he will not begin the 2025-26 season as a starter.

Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco will start the Cleveland Browns' season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7, the team announced Monday. Pickett, who was hampered by a mid-camp injury, will likely serve as the backup in a room that currently includes recent draft picks Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.

Pickett was traded to the Browns in March for quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth round draft pick, after spending one season with the Philadelphia Eagles. He served as the backup to Eagles star Jalen Hurts last season, playing in five games. His lone start came against the Dallas Cowboys late in the season.

And in that start, he helped the Eagles clinch the NFC East, throwing for 143 yards and scoring two touchdowns in a win against the Cowboys that sealed the division crown.

Pickett is entering his fourth NFL season after being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round (20th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. He spent two turbulent seasons with the Steelers, starting the majority of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, before being traded to the Eagles in March 2024.

Pickett has completed 471-of-755 pass attempts for 4,765 yards with 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in his NFL career, going 15-10 over his 25 starts. And he's not far removed from one of the best seasons in Pitt history.

Pickett put together one of the best seasons in college football during his senior season, completing 334-of-497 pass attempts for 4,319 yards and 42 touchdowns, adding 241 yards and five more touchdowns on the ground.

He finished his time at Pitt as the all-time leader in completions, passing yards, total offense, passing touchdowns and total touchdowns responsible for. His 32 wins are the most by a Pitt starter, and he capped his career with the first ACC title in program history against Wake Forest.

He finished his Pitt career with 12,303 passing yards and 81 touchdowns, adding 809 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns.

While Pickett will not start the season for the Browns, with a 40-year-old Flacco under center, his number may still be called. He earned praise from Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski and quarterback coach Bill Musgrave this offseason and is a younger yet still experienced quarterback on the roster.

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