The Pittsburgh Steelers once again were able to make something out of virtually nothing and sneak into the postseason. While their trip to the playoffs didn’t last long, as they were eliminated by the Buffalo Bills on Super Wild Card Weekend, it was an impressive feat even qualifying.
The Steelers entered their Week 13 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals at 7-4, cruising to a Wild Card spot. The schedule-makers presented them with a gift late in the season as they were hosting the Cardinals and New England Patriots, both two-win teams, at Acrisure Stadium in back-to-back weeks.
This was a chance to bolster their record against two bottom-feeding teams, but the Steelers were unable to take advantage. They lost both games and were also defeated by the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15.
NFL NEWS & RUMORS: Russell Wilson, Kenny Pickett, Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers Updates
Starting quarterback Kenny Pickett was injured against the Cardinals, which forced Mitchell Trubisky into the lineup. Trubisky was not good, as he got replaced by Mason Rudolph, who helped the team finish strong.
Rudolph went 3-0 to end the regular season, helping the Steelers get a playoff spot. His performance kept Pickett on the bench despite him being healthy, leading to a lot of speculation about what the team could do at quarterback this offseason.
Head coach Mike Tomlin has made it sound like it can be Pickett’s job again; at the very least, he will be competing for the spot. But, there could be some veteran options available if the team wants to change things up. During a recent appearance on 97.3 The Fan in Pittsburgh, NFL analyst Peter King floated the idea of the Steelers signing Russell Wilson should the Denver Broncos release him.
“I would not rule out Russell Wilson [in Pittsburgh]. If Mike Tomlin had his way, I think he’d want to get a guy who was a veteran in there who will make sure that you enter the season with a fighting chance against the three teams in your division, all of whom have a better quarterback situation right now than you do.”
Pickett was a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft as a local kid who played at Pittsburgh. Through two seasons, he hasn’t shown that he can be the kind of franchise quarterback the Steelers are looking for.
NFL NEWS & RUMORS: Russell Wilson, Kenny Pickett, Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers Updates
There have certainly been some things working against Pickett, such as the ineptitude of offensive coordinator Matt Canada. But, even after Canada was fired, the offense didn’t click consistently at as high of a level as you would like to see.
This offseason will be a big one for the franchise. Tomlin is committed to returning and there will be some pressure to find success in the postseason. Is Pickett the quarterback that can help them prevail? We will find out soon enough once the 2024 league year begins in a few weeks.
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