“Exciting times for us” - When Steelers GM celebrated selecting Kenny Pickett in 2022 NFL Draft

Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Kenny Pickett finished his college career with a record-setting season and led Pitt to its first ACC Championship in 2021. After throwing for 4,319 yards with 42 TDs and seven INTs, he finished his senior year as a Heisman Trophy finalist and declared for the 2022 NFL Draft.

Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers were looking to move on from their 2017 first-round draft pick, QB Mitchell Trubisky. They didn’t have to look too far, as they found a suitable replacement in Pickett. Fortunately, the New Orleans Saints went with WR Chris Olave, and Pickett got excited as GM Kevin Colbert called his name.

During a press conference in April 2022, Colbert cherished Pickett's selection and said (via Steelers' official website):

“We're super, super excited to be able to draft Kenny Pickett with our first-round pick. Honestly, never thought he would make it to us at 20. Exciting times for us, for Kenny, for the University of Pittsburgh, and for Pittsburgh in general. It's great. We couldn't be more excited.”

Pickett was equally excited. He had an idea about his selection when he received a call on his phone with a familiar 412 area code.

“I was speechless," Pickett said. "It's a lifelong—23 years of hard work to get to this point, and that all came in a phone call. It was probably one of the best moments of my life, and I'm so excited to get started and get to work with the guys who are next door to me my whole career with the Pittsburgh Panthers.”

Kenny Pickett’s family and his then-fiancée, Amy Paternoster, were excited about his selection. For him, it was like a dream come true.

“I'm really happy that I'm in Pittsburgh," he added.

Kenny Pickett remains confident to start for Cleveland Browns

Though he replaced Trubisky as the starter in his rookie season, Kenny Pickett was swiftly relegated to the third-choice role in later years. However, Pickett struck luck when he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024, where he served as the backup QB to Jalen Hurts and won his first Super Bowl.

On Monday, Pickett was traded to the Cleveland Browns, and he was told that he had a chance to earn the starting role. However, veteran QB Russell Wilson’s presence has raised concerns. Despite this, Pickett remains confident in himself as he awaits the opportunity to make the best of the situation.

He said (via ESPN):

"I'm excited to get back into [the AFC North] and I just think it's a great opportunity to go compete. I do view myself as a starter, who holds a 15-10 record as a starter in the NFL. All you want is an opportunity. It doesn't matter who else is in the room. All you can ask for is an opportunity, then you've got to go handle the rest."