Kevin Colbert Defends Steelers Brutal Kenny Pickett Decision

Former Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert seemingly doesn't have any regrets about selecting Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

During an appearance on 93.7 The Fan, Colbert stated that he believed Pickett was "trending in the right direction" over his two years with the Steelers and believes the Pitt product could eventually live up to expectations elsewhere down the line.

"We projected Kenny to be a start-and-win NFL quarterback, and quite honestly, he lived up to that in his first two seasons with us," Colbert said. "For us, he was 14-10 and trending in the right direction. So that's what we thought we had in Kenny.

"Kenny's a great young man. He's a great competitor... And I still think at a young age, I still think Kenny can continue to build on what he did with us in those first two seasons."

Nov 26, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) drops back to pass during the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Both Pickett and Steelers Still Looking for Stability

The No. 20 overall pick in 2022 after winning the ACC title at Pitt, Pickett carried high expectations when he first joined the Steelers.

There were some flashes of potential and thus some belief that he could be the long-term successor to Ben Roethlisberger, but ultimately those plans never came to fruition.

Pickett threw for 2,404 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions with a 7-5 record in 12 starts as a rookie before opening the 2023 campaign with a 7-4 record.

Offensive coordinator Matt Canada was fired ahead of Week 12 that year, however, and an ankle injury Pickett suffered during Week 13 against the Arizona Cardinals more or less put an end to his career in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Steelers Kenny Pickett (8) sprints out of the pocket during the first half against the Las Vegas Raiders at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on December 24, 2022. Pittsburgh Steelers Vs Las Vegas Raiders Week 16 | Michael Longo/For USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Pickett was later traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he won a Super Bowl as Jalen Hurts' backup, in March 2024 after Russell Wilson signed with the Steelers.

From there, Pickett spent time with the Cleveland Browns and Las Vegas Raiders in 2025 before agreeing to a one-year contract with the Carolina Panthers this offseason as he searches for an extended stay somewhere in the NFL.

As for Pittsburgh, it has remained in some form of quarterback purgatory ever since Roethlisberger retired following the 2021 season.

The team deployed Justin Fields and Wilson as its quarterbacks in 2024 before signing Aaron Rodgers ahead of the 2025 campaign and bringing him back into the fold this offseason.

The Steelers selected Will Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft and Drew Allar in the third round of this year's draft in hopes of one of them reaching their ceiling and becoming a long-term option at quarterback, but both players still have a long way to go before any concrete conclusions can be drawn about their respective futures.

Perhaps Pittsburgh could land Brendan Sorsby in the supplemental draft or turn its focus to the 2027 NFL Draft as its quest for a franchise signal caller drags on if the organization isn't confident in Howard and Allar.

Either way, the Steelers, much like Pickett, are yearning for any level of stability.

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