Has Steelers Rookie QB Kenny Pickett Ended The Malik Willis Debate For Good After Just 1 Season?

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Kenny Pickett with the 20th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The quarterback draft class was touted as the worst group in years and maybe the worst group of the 21st century. The Steelers did a masterful job of disguising their intent to pick the former Pitt Panther and were tied closely to Malik Willis from the moment he started climbing draft charts after an amazing pro day.

Pickett led the class in games played, appearing in 13 games and taking over as the starter for Mitch Trubisky halfway through the fourth game of the season. He got off to a rocky start during his first five games as QB1 for the Steelers, throwing just two touchdowns versus eight interceptions. He did add two touchdowns rushing during that period, but as they headed into the bye week, whispers about his ability were growing louder.

After the bye week, Pittsburgh shifted their focus to running the ball and Pickett finished his rookie campaign with five touchdowns vs one interception and added an additional touchdown rushing. He finished 7-5 as a starter, completing 63 percent of his passes. If you count his rushing touchdowns, a precedent that the NFL set by naming Tyler Huntley to the Pro Bowl, Pickett accounted for 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Willis, the darling of Steelers pre-draft Twitter, ended up being picked by the Tennessee Titans in the third round, 12 picks behind Desmond Ridder. Willis was forced into action as a starter when Ryan Tannehill was hurt in Week 8 against the Houston Texans. He won his first start, but it became apparent early in the 17-10 victory that the Titans were wholly uncomfortable letting the rookie throw the ball.

After winning his first start throwing 10 passes, he performed woefully as a passer against the Kansas City Chiefs, but his legs and a monumental effort by Derrick Henry and the Titans’ defense pushed the Chiefs to the limit. Ultimately, they fell 20-17 in overtime, but led 17-9 going into the fourth quarter. Willis saw the field briefly in Weeks 13 and 15 and seemed more comfortable as a passer.

Willis got one more opportunity to start on Christmas Eve in a repeat engagement with the Texans and this time, the Titans let him throw the ball 23 times. He completed 60 percent of his passes, but threw two critical interceptions that led to a 19-14 loss that ultimately cost the Titans dearly. Willis was benched for Josh Dobbs, the former Steelers' third-string quarterback. The Titans ended the season on a seven-game losing streak that allowed the Jacksonville Jaguars to make the playoffs.

Steelers Legend Ben Roethlisberger Offers Kenny Pickett Valuable Red Zone Advice For 2023

Pickett had a much bigger sample size, but he is clearly the better passer at this point in both player's careers. Pickett led the Steelers to four comeback victories in his rookie season and seemed to be ascending as Pittsburgh desperately tried to fill in the hole they dug early in the season to make a playoff run. Pickett proved he was a much more effective runner at the NFL level than expected, but he also sustained two concussions that saw him adjust that part of his game significantly down the stretch.

Willis always was going to trail Pickett in his rookie season, but the gap wasn’t supposed to be this wide. What is clear is that Trubisky would have played a lot more in 2022 if the Steelers had drafted him instead of Pickett. Trubisky might have played freer with Willis behind him. 

It isn’t likely that the former Liberty Flames quarterback would have had the same passion behind him that the former Pitt Panthers quarterback had. It became overwhelmingly evident when Pickett started with a standing ovation in the second half of his first preseason game. The reaction clearly signaled it was just a matter of when, not if, Pickett would take over. 

Titans fans were excited about Willis when he demonstrated his legs were an asset in his limited opportunities, but he has a lot to work on in the passing game and there was no outcry when he was unceremoniously benched.

Every quarterback drafted except Chris Oladokun who was cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers and Matt Corral who lost his first season to injury for the New Orleans Saints, saw meaningful action during 2022 and they all displayed they could be capable NFL quarterbacks if given the chance. Pickett and Brock Purdy seem to have a solid grip on the starting job for the foreseeable future, assuming Purdy recovers from his catastrophic NFC Championship Game injury.

Three other quarterbacks from the class, Ridder, Sam Howell, and Corral could be QB1 for their respective teams next season. Willis could also still take a big leap as a passer. He is a talented young man and no one should be judged on rookie quarterback numbers. Not bad for the "worst" quarterback class this century.

The Steelers rookie signal-caller clearly won round one of the Pickett vs Willis debate. If it was a prizefight. Willis would be teetering on the edge of a TKO after round one, but he will get a chance to answer the bell for round two. What is clear is that Pittsburgh made the right choice by drafting Pickett and opening a Super Bowl window with a quarterback on a rookie contract. At the very least, the debate seems to now be Purdy vs Pickett. Who saw that coming?