May 13, 2022; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan i(left) instructs quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) in drills during Rookie Minicamp at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett won’t have to look far for a mentor as the man he’s replacing, Ben Roethlisberger, is ready for that role.
Quarterback mentorship has been a hot-button issue in the 2022 offseason after Ryan Tannehill stated that he didn’t believe it was his job to be a mentor to Titans third-round pick Malik Willis. That’s a situation, however, that won’t be an issue with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers, of course, are turning the page on the Ben Roethlisberger chapter of their franchise after his retirement. Part of that involved selecting Kenny Pickett in the first round of this year’s draft. And while we haven’t gotten word from Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph, the other two notable signal-callers on the roster, Big Ben appears ready to be a mentor.
When asked about the role Roethlisberger has played in the infancy of his career, Pickett was highly complimentary and gave the impression that the future Hall of Famer was happy to be part of his early development.
Ben Roethlisberger happy to mentor Kenny Pickett with Steelers
That has to be music to the ears of Steelers fans.
Though we saw a precipitous decline in what Roethlisberger was capable of in his final couple of years in Pittsburgh, there’s no denying that he knows what it takes to excel in the NFL and in the Steel City. So for Pickett to not only have that as a resource but to seem eager to utilize that and appreciate Big Ben’s time is a great sign.
Pickett has the undeniable opportunity to become a legend in the city of Pittsburgh after staying home where he played college football. With Roethlisberger in his corner and guiding him when needed, the likelihood of that happening most definitely increases.