Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger recently had current Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett on his podcast admitted he wasn’t initially rooting for Pickett to play well as a rookie.
The thought, Roethlisberger explained, was that he didn’t want to be forgotten so easily.
But Roethlisberger’s feelings changed as 2022 continued, as he noted, “I’m glad I transitioned to loving and rooting for you.”
Pickett was asked about the exchange during his Tuesday press conference at Steelers OTAs.
“He’s honest and out front about it,” Pickett said, via Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “He’s a fan now and he’s pulling for us. It was pretty cool to hear him say that and to be at his house and to meet his kids and his wife and get to know him a little bit better. We’ll continue to build that relationship, and I’ll reach out if I have any questions.
“I’m excited to go into Year Two with another guy in my corner pulling for me.”
The Steelers went 7-5 in games Pickett started as a rookie, with the quarterback finishing with a 63 percent completion rate, 2,404 yards passing, seven touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He piloted three fourth-quarter comebacks and four game-winning drives, helping fuel optimism about his and Pittsburgh’s future.