Only two games remain in the 2023 regular season, but whether quarterback Kenny Pickett will be part of it remains to be seen.
Pickett would’ve been out there if it were up to him. Has he considered throwing in the towel, dictated by his high-ankle sprain? Not for a minute.
Per The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly, Pickett said it hadn’t entered his mind to shut it down for the season. He’s a true competitor and not one to allow an injury to get the best of him.
But it has been in the mind of Mike Tomlin, who’s readying his team for another Mason Rudolph start.
Rudolph is in line for his second start of the season and took first-team reps on day one of practice preparation for the Seattle Seahawks.
But Pickett is doing what he can to be ready.
“(I’m) getting the mental reps, taking advantage of the stuff that I’m not getting physically by just standing behind and going through my reads,” Pickett said.
He feels like he could go and is pushing himself accordingly. “I feel like I could. I always try to push myself. It’s the trainers. It’s the coaches. It’s what way they see me moving and how they want to go about it.”
Mobility is a big part of Pickett’s game, especially with the inconsistent protection from the offensive line. If he’s not 100 percent, there’s no sense in having him out there.
kenny pickett said that no way it has entered his mind to shut it down for the season.
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) December 27, 2023