Kenny Pickett and Russell Wilson won’t be sharing the Steelers quarterback room, after all.
The 2022 first-round pick is being traded to the Eagles, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Friday, noting, “Once Pittsburgh signed Russell Wilson, Pickett preferred to move on.”
Pickett will serve as Jalen Hurts’ backup with the Eagles.
The Steelers will now receive the No. 98 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, along with two 2025 seventh-rounders, per Schefter.
The Eagles will receive the Steelers’ No. 120 selection.
It’s been a whirlwind few days for the Steelers, who were revealed to be Wilson’s new team on Sunday following his disastrous two seasons in Denver.
Pittsburgh announced Friday they signed the Super Bowl-winning quarterback, 35, to a one-year deal.
Pickett’s time in Pittsburgh is apparently ending on a sour note.
According to a report Friday from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “The Steelers made the move because of the way Pickett was poorly handling the arrival of Russell Wilson.”
Pickett kicked off the new year at the center of controversy when a local radio host alleged the former University of Pittsburgh quarterback “refused to be the backup” in a game against the Seahawks.
The New Jersey native, 25, refuted the claim.
“I saw reports out there that I felt like were attacking my character and how I am as a person, not even getting into the player standpoint of it,” Pickett told reporters. “There was no talk of me being a backup quarterback this week in terms of being a two. If I was healthy enough to play and the trainers and coaches felt like I would look good enough to play, I was gonna start and play. If they believed I was not, which they believed I was not, I was not gonna dress and suit up for the game.”
The Steelers turned to Mason Rudolph down the stretch and reached the wild-card round of the playoffs before losing to the Bills.
Rudolph signed with the Titans in free agency.
Pickett finished his career as a Steeler throwing for 4,474 yards, 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions through 25 games.
He now gets a fresh start in Philadelphia, a team he cheered for growing up.
