This week’s usual Plays of the Year column is replaced with something different as we round the corner to Steelers training camp opening next week at Saint Vincent’s College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

The vibe outside of Chuck Noll Field will also be different, as the Steelers come to camp with a different group of quarterbacks than the four that were standing on the same grass only one year ago. One of those players who is no longer with the team is Pittsburgh’s former 2022 first-round draft pick, Kenny Pickett. Pickett, who was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason, was at one time viewed by many as a potential heir to Ben Roethlisberger‘s quarterback throne.

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Many fans were betting that Pickett could become a franchise quarterback. Some even felt he was an odds-on favorite to be named for a Rookie of the Year Award. For these enthusiasts, structures like the Parimatch register offer an exciting way to interact with these events, adding fun to the already electrifying environment.

However, things didn’t work out that way, however, there were times when we had optimism that it could. Since Pickett is no longer with the team and we had some highlights to share from the 2023 season, those were combined with some other career highlights from the Pitt Panther product’s time in the Burgh.

Here are several of Kenny Pickett’s defining moments that had us believing he could be the Steelers’ next franchise quarterback.

Kenny Pickett with a QB sneak for his first career rushing TD

Week 4 of the 2022 NFL season featured two 1-2 teams looking to stay out of their respective division’s cellars, when the Pittsburgh Steelers hosted the New York Jets. Things were looking grim for the Steelers, who entered halftime down 10-6 to their opponent. But those fortunes would change in the second half when head coach Mike Tomlin made a switch at quarterback, benching starter Mitchell Trubisky for first round rookie Kenny Pickett.

This 3rd-and-1 play gave Pickett his first career touchdown in the National Football League.

The Steelers would lose to the Jets, 24-20, but it was “Kenny Mania” from this point forward.

Kenny Pickett’s first NFL touchdown pass

With the disappointing loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 5 of the 2022 NFL regular season, not many had high hopes that a Steelers rookie quarterback was going to be able to go toe-to-toe with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6. Despite the lack of optimism, Pickett led the Steelers offense down the field and earned his first NFL passing touchdown.

Pickett drew first blood in the game by finding Najee Harris short left for a six-yard touchdown pass and catch that fired up Steelers fans and gave Pittsburgh a 7-0 lead early after Chris Boswell converted the PAT. The Steelers would win the game, but Pickett would be forced out after a little more than two quarters of play due to injury.

Pickett, Johnson connect on Steelers longest pass play of the 2022 season (to date)

With just over five minutes left in the third quarter, the Steelers offense took over after an Andy Dalton fumble led to a Saints punt. Pittsburgh marched 83 yards down the field. The biggest play was on 1st-and-10 from their own 44-yard line.

Lined up on the right side, Johnson was one-on-one with Paulson Adebo when Pickett saw his target get separation.

Although the Steelers were only able to walk away from the series with three points from a Matthew Wright field goal, Pickett and Johnson connected four times for 63 yards in the game and earned Johnson the top-receiver spot for the Steelers in the 20-10 victory which improved the Steelers record to 3-6.

Pickett finds Pickens for game-winning touchdown connection

By Week 16 of the 2022 season, the Steelers season was turning around. The team had clawed back to a 6-8 record as they hosted the Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas Eve night in a nationally televised game which saw both six-win teams facing each other in a game commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception.

The Steelers offense had struggled to dent the Raiders defense most of the evening, but on this series, Pickett would show he had the chops to takeover a game, completing 4-of-6 passes, driving the team down to the Raiders 15-yard-line before facing a 4th-and-1, where Pickett would stretch out to gain a first down.

Facing 1st-and-10 from the Las Vegas 14 with 50 seconds to go, the offense stretched three receivers out to Pickett’s right, but almost immediately you could gain a sense of where this ball was going to go: #14 George Pickens, who was lined up on the inside slot. Pickett delivers the football to his wide-open target, which would also prove to be the game-winner, as the Steelers improved to 7-8 on the season, keeping their slim playoff chances alive by a final score of 13-10.

Pickett hits Harris for game-winner over the Ravens

The Pittsburgh Steelers were on the road on New Year’s day to play the Baltimore Ravens for the second time during the 2022 NFL regular season.

After losing by just two points in Week 14, the Steelers were down in the fourth quarter by five points until the defense made a big stop and the offense orchestrated their second comeback win in back-to-back games when Pickett made a veteran read and threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Najee Harris with 56 seconds remaining.

The win secured an 8-8 record for the Steelers. They would finish the season 9-8 but narrowly miss the playoffs due to tiebreakers.

All of Kenny Pickett’s 2023 NFL preseason highlights

While preseason is considered exhibition play, the Steelers got off to a hot start thanks to successful opening drives that showed glimpses of what might have been.

It was hard to ignore Pickett’s play, as the second-year quarterback whizzed off a perfect 158.3 QB rating through the preseason, completing 13-of-15 passes for 199 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Pickett would complete 86.6% of his passes as all five of his preseason drives finished with touchdowns.

Kenny Pickett connects with Calvin Austin for 72-yard equalizing touchdown

The first two weeks of the 2023 regular season were unkind to the Steelers offense, but another “get right” game against the Raiders is all Pickett needed to look as if he were back in command.

On third-and-seven at the Pittsburgh 28-yard line, with 6:12 on the game clock in the first quarter, Pickett took the snap from shotgun. Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby flew into a gap that running back Jaylen Warren – as much of a body size mismatch as there could be – blew into for a key pass block that gave Pickett time to scan his receivers’ routes. The pass couldn’t have been any better, and Austin earned his first official NFL touchdown reception on the play.

The play gave the Steelers a 7-7 tie score with the Raiders that held until Chris Boswell kicked a 43-yard field goal in the second quarter. Pittsburgh held a lead for the remainder of the game and walked away with the final score, 23-18.

Pickett finds Pickens for 41-yard game-winning touchdown

Perhaps the final defining play for Pickett in a black-and-gold uniform saw the passer once again abuse the Baltimore Ravens defense for a big play in Week 5 of the 2023 season.

Baltimore entered the game with one more win than Pittsburgh, but the Steelers would have the last laugh when rookie Joey Porter Jr. intercepted Ravens QB Lamar Jackson to give the Pittsburgh offense the ball back and a chance for victory.

On second-and-nine from the Baltimore 41, with just 1:17 left on the game clock, Pickett pulled the trigger for a deep pass to the right to George Pickens for what became the game-winning touchdown.