Kenny Pickett, the Steelers quarterback, suffered an ankle injury on Dec. 3 against Arizona. He underwent tightrope surgery the day after the injury. Since then, there have been no updates about Pickett’s injury or when he will return to the field.
Mitch Trubisky replaced Pickett initially but had subpar performances, leading to a three-game losing streak. After him, Mason Rudolph took over and he improved the team’s performance. While the team was planning to start with Mason Rudolph in their upcoming game, Pickett has shared positive news, indicating his return soon.
Pickett feels good but prioritizes caution in return
Reporters heard from Kenny Pickett for the first time in over three weeks on Wednesday and the QB shared some good news about his return.
Pickett, who suffered another injury in Week 4 earlier, shared with the reporters that now he feels good about his recovery. He emphasized caution and left the decision to play on the trainers and coaches.
“It feels like I’m on track with what I need to do. It’s really not how I feel. It’s kind of what they see me do and how they feel like I’m looking moving around and everything,” Kenny Pickett said.
Although the QB feels better he must be completely healthy when he returns to prevent any future problems. Therefore, the decision he will return now depends on the team and whether the medical staff and the coach will allow him or not.
Mason Rudolph to continue as QB1 in Pickett’s absence
Despite the positive news, the team is going to go with Mason Rudolph as their starter. Mason Rudolph took over in Week 16, resulting in the Steelers’ best quarterback performance in four years and their highest point total since 2021, defeating the Bengals 34-11.
Rudolph is currently preparing to start against the Seahawks. He expressed confidence and mentioned the importance of stacking good practice days.
“It’s been good. We had a good practice today. I’m taking it one game at a time and I’m really just enjoying getting reps in practice. It’s foreign. It seems like it’s foreign, but you build confidence when you stack good day on good day. That’s all we’re trying to do,” Rudolph said
Coach Mike Tomlin indicated that Pickett’s situation this week is similar to the previous week. The team entered the week with the mindset that Rudolph would start, but Kenny Pickett’s evaluation continued.
Despite playing really well, Pickett was held out last week due to concerns about his movement and ability to protect himself. The decision was based on the trainers’ assessments. But with his positive comments about his return, there are chances that he will soon return to the field.
In essence, Kenny Pickett is recovering from his ankle injury rapidly, expressing optimism about his condition. The Steelers are navigating quarterback uncertainties, with Pickett considering a return and the team evaluating his readiness throughout the week.
