Mitch Trubisky ‘disappointed,’ did not expect to be benched as Steelers QB

Mitch Trubisky’s postgame session with media Sunday was relatively short, his answers concise.

Kind of like the way he found out he’d been benched while in that same Pittsburgh Steelers locker room.

“He said, ‘8’s in,’ at halftime,” Trubisky said of how Mike Tomlin let him know that Kenny Pickett (No. 8) was supplanting him as the Steelers quarterback. “That’s about all (Tomlin) said.”

And with that — pending on who starts next week and games beyond — Trubisky’s tenure as the Steelers’ starting quarterback was ended after only 3½ games.

After leading the Steelers to just four offensive touchdowns over that span and with the Steelers trailing 10-6 at halftime, Tomlin called on Pickett to make his NFL debut.

“Doesn’t matter what I think (of that decision),” Trubisky said. “He did what he thought was best for the team, and we came up short today.”

Mitch Trubisky was disappointed to be benched pic.twitter.com/fHUpFgAAxy

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) October 2, 2022

The Steelers scored 14 points over the first three possessions with Pickett at the helm but blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead in what ended up a 24-20 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday.

A six-year NFL veteran and former No. 2 overall draft pick, Trubisky was signed in March to a two-year free-agent contract worth up to $14.285 million.

When Trubisky was asked if he expects to start next week at the Buffalo Bills, Trubisky said, “Who knows, who knows.”

“I just have to just come into work, be a good teammate, continue to try to be a leader for this team and go back to work and help any way I can,” Trubisky said moments earlier. “It’s a tough deal. It’s definitely not what I wanted and not what I expected, but that’s part of it.”

Trubisky was 7 for 13 for 84 yards and an interception in the first half. He was sacked three times, and only two of the seven possessions he stewarded gained more than 21 yards.

The Steelers offense had produced 50 points in regulation over the first 3½ games of the season. A 3½-year starter from 2017-20 for the Chicago Bears, Trubisky’s season stats for the Steelers are 69 for 116 for 653 yards with two touchdowns, two interceptions and a passer rating of 73.7.

Tomlin said he made the decision Sunday to switch to Pickett because he thought the team “needed a spark.”

Trubisky, 28, was named a Steelers co-captain last month based off a vote of offensive teammates.

“Took some shots, didn’t connect, didn’t score enough points, got pulled at halftime,” Trubisky said of his performance against the Jets. “How it goes. Just business as usual, just got to find a way to pull together as a team and get better from here. Disappointed, obviously, but it’s part of it.”

Hey, Steelers Nation, get the latest news about the Pittsburgh Steelers here.