Player
Kenny Pickett
QB
Pittsburgh's 18-year drought at the QB position in the draft reflects how long Roethlisberger's tenure delayed the franchise from needing a replacement — making Pickett's selection a generational reset call that didn't come through.
4-year career across PIT, PHI, LV. 4,953 passing yards, 16 TDs. The only 1st-round PIT QB drafted since 2004.
MilestoneCareer regular-season totals
| Stat | Total |
|---|---|
| Games | 36 |
| Yards | 4,953 |
| TDs | 16 |
| INTs | 16 |
| Comp% | 62.4% |
| Rush Yds | 330 |
Why it matters. Pittsburgh's 18-year drought at the QB position in the draft reflects how long Roethlisberger's tenure delayed the franchise from needing a replacement — making Pickett's selection a generational reset call that didn't come through.
2 starting years in PIT, then a SB ring as the PHI backup, then a 6-game LV stint in 2025.
TrendPickett year-by-year
| Year | Tm | GP | Yds | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | PIT | 13 | 2,404 | 7 |
| 2023 | PIT | 12 | 2,070 | 6 |
| 2024 | PHI | 5 | 291 | 2 |
| 2025 | LV | 6 | 188 | 1 |
Passing yards by year
| Season | Yards |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 2404 |
| 2023 | 2070 |
| 2024 | 291 |
| 2025 | 188 |
Why it matters. The career arc illustrates the modern NFL's short fuse for 1st-round QBs: two seasons of functional-but-not-elite play cost him the starting job, and every subsequent stop has been progressively fewer snaps — from 13 starts to 6 in three years.
Worst red-zone TD rate of any starting QB 2022–23: 8.5% on 94 attempts vs. 20.7% league average.
SplitRed-zone TD rate — QBs with 50+ RZ attempts, 2022–23
| QB | RZ Att | RZ TDs | TD Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenny Pickett | 94 | 8 | 8.5% |
| Desmond Ridder | 75 | 11 | 14.7% |
| Ryan Tannehill | 85 | 13 | 15.3% |
| League avg | — | — | 20.7% |
Why it matters. Red-zone failure turns field position into wasted drives; at 8.5%, Pickett's offense was scoring touchdowns on fewer than 1 in 12 red-zone passes while the average QB scored on 1 in 5. That gap alone explains why Pittsburgh couldn't capitalize on its defense's work.
Same 2022 draft class: Pickett at #20, Brock Purdy at #262. Purdy has 84 TDs to Pickett's 16 in fewer seasons.
Comparison2022 QB class career stats (regular season)
| Player | Pick | Starts | Yards | TDs | INTs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brock Purdy | #262 | 47 | 11,685 | 84 | 37 |
| Sam Howell | #144 | 19 | 4,139 | 22 | 23 |
| Kenny Pickett | #20 | 28 | 4,921 | 16 | 15 |
| Desmond Ridder | #74 | 22 | 3,974 | 16 | 13 |
| Malik Willis | #86 | 10 | 1,233 | 5 | 3 |
Why it matters. The Purdy vs. Pickett split is the clearest case study of how draft position predicts almost nothing for quarterbacks: the #20 pick was outpaced in every major stat by the final pick of the same class, which reflects both player development and the importance of landing in the right system.
Dead last in red zone AND top-5 in 4th-quarter clutch: Pickett was a paradox QB.
RarePickett 2022–23 situational EPA/play
| Situation | EPA/play | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 4Q, game within 1 score | +0.216 | 5th of 41 |
| Red zone (≤20 yds) | — | Last of 41 |
| Overall dropbacks | -0.072 | 34th of 51 |
Why it matters. The split reveals a QB who could manage game pressure but broke down in high-leverage scoring situations — the worst place for a QB to fail. It suggests his struggles weren't mental but situational: tight windows, heavier coverage, and less time to operate in the red zone exposed the limits of his arm talent.
He had identical TD and INT totals across 25 PIT starts — 13 TDs to 13 INTs. Zero positive ratio in two seasons.
AnomalyPickett PIT TD/INT
| Year | TDs | INTs |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 7 | 9 |
| 2023 | 6 | 4 |
| PIT total | 13 | 13 |
Why it matters. A 1:1 TD/INT ratio is essentially replacement-level QB play — every touchdown he earned the offense, he gave back a possession to the defense. Over two seasons, it meant the turnover math never tipped in Pittsburgh's favor, a hard ceiling for any playoff run.
FanIQ answers any NFL stats question with receipts, on your phone.
Get FanIQ freeGet it on Google Play