Former Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert says the team’s decision to draft Kenny Pickett with the No. 20 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft still made sense, pointing to an early run that included a 14-10 mark in his first two seasons. Pickett’s Steelers tenure e
Pittsburgh traded up for hope in the 2020 NFL Draft, and Kenny Pickett arrived with it—then watched it slip through his fingers.
The Steelers used the No. 20 overall pick on Pickett in the 2020 NFL Draft. a move that only looked “wrong” in hindsight because his time in Pittsburgh lasted just two years. Kevin Colbert. the Steelers general manager at the time. defended the decision anyway. using Jack Markowski’s account to revisit why the pick felt right even then.
“We projected Kenny to be a start-and-win NFL quarterback, and quite honestly, he lived up to that in his first two seasons with us,” Colbert said. “For us, he was 14-10 and trending in the right direction. So that’s what we thought we had in Kenny.”
Colbert also framed Pickett as more than just a draft pick in a results-driven business. “Kenny’s a great young man,” he said. “He’s a great competitor. And I still think at a young age, I still think Kenny can continue to build on what he did with us in those first two seasons.”
Pickett’s numbers in Pittsburgh are part of Colbert’s case. Over two seasons with the Steelers, Pickett went 14-10, throwing for 4,953 yards with 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Still, he never landed the long-term QB1 role in Pittsburgh. The organization ultimately moved him, dealing him to the Philadelphia Eagles.
After one year in Philadelphia. Pickett’s career kept moving: he was traded to the Cleveland Browns. and later dealt to the Las Vegas Raiders. His NFL résumé now spans 36 games with 27 starts. Overall, Pickett is 16-11 in those appearances, throwing for 4,953 yards with 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
Now the quarterback finds himself in a familiar football reality—another chance. another roster—by signing a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers. He’ll serve as Bryce Young’s backup. and the job description comes with a familiar opening: if an injury arises. Pickett could get on-field time to prove he still belongs at the top level.
Colbert says he wouldn’t be shocked if that opportunity turns into more. With Pickett now in a position to play again under pressure. the former Steelers GM’s message is clear: the bet may not have finished in Pittsburgh the way it was hoped. but Colbert believes the quarterback’s trajectory can still change.
Kenny Pickett Pittsburgh Steelers Kevin Colbert 2020 NFL Draft No. 20 overall pick Bryce Young Carolina Panthers Philadelphia Eagles Cleveland Browns Las Vegas Raiders