Kenny Pickett embraced Pat Narduzzi with a hug before greeting offensive coordinator Mark Whipple and his teammates on Pitt’s sideline. With a few minutes left and an ACC championship in hand, the Bank of America Stadium crowd grew louder and louder with every shout of “Kenny” as the program legend soaked in his curtain call.
That night in Charlotte was Pickett’s last in a Pitt uniform.
Pickett will not play in the Peach Bowl, he announced on Thursday evening. The Heisman Trophy finalist and projected first-round draft pick will focus on his NFL future.
“To the University of Pittsburgh, thank you for all that you have given me over the past five years,” Pickett said in a statement. “Coach Narduzzi, thank you for being by my side throughout my entire career and teaching me life lessons every step of the way. One of the best moments of my football career was standing on stage with you, the team and our ACC championship trophy. I will never forget our victory and what it took to get us there.
“Coach Whipple, I’m so proud to have learned from you. Together, we accomplished all of our goals and I wish you nothing but the best in the future. To my teammates, the memories we have made will last a lifetime. I am thankful for all of the friendships I’ve made and I look forward to keeping these bonds as we move on to the next chapter of our lives. To the fans, thank you for all your support throughout my career. I am incredibly proud to say I was a part of the team that brought another trophy to the City of Champions.”
Forever a Pitt Man #H2P pic.twitter.com/fq0Sw06dIa
— Kenny Pickett (@kennypickett10) December 17, 2021
Pickett finishes his five-year collegiate career with every major passing record — yards, touchdowns and completions, both all-time and single-season — in Pitt history. The New Jersey native tallied 4,319 passing yards and 42 touchdowns in 2021, earning ACC player of the year honors and passing Dan Marino’s all-time touchdowns record in the conference championship win over Wake Forest.
Moments after celebrating on Pitt’s podium in Charlotte, Pickett said his “plan” was to play in the postseason. That plan changed when Whipple abruptly resigned three days later to accept the same job at Nebraska.
Whipple has Pickett’s “support,” and he remains “family,” the quarterback said before Saturday’s Heisman ceremony. But Pickett and his family were surprised by the timing of Whipple’s departure, factoring into Pickett’s choice of whether or not to play.
After enjoying his whirlwind weekend — being presented the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm on Friday night in Baltimore before going to New York City for Saturday’s Heisman festivities — Pickett sat down with family as he looked to the future.
For the years to come, though, Pitt supporters will look back on 2021 and what Pickett brought to the program. A former Temple commit and three-star prospect, Pickett started 49 games at Pitt. He burst onto the scene with an upset of No. 2 Miami in 2017, managed an imperfect run-heavy offense to an ACC Coastal title in 2018 and featured heavily the last three years under Whipple.
Ultimately, Pickett could have left Pitt after the 2020 season. He had a mid-to-late round draft grade and an invite to the Senior Bowl in his back pocket. But Pickett bet on himself — a bet that paid off immensely for him and everyone associated with the Panthers.
In his absence, Nick Patti is next in line to start in the Peach Bowl. Patti, Pickett’s immediate backup, has completed 12 of 14 passes for 140 yards in relief this season. The fourth-year signal-caller also completed 7 of 10 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown in Pitt’s spring game.
Pitt has yet to announce who will call plays against Michigan State and the worst pass defense in the country (337.7 yards per game allowed). Wide receivers coach Brennan Marion, who mentored Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison, was recently Howard and William & Mary’s offensive coordinator. Tight ends coach Tim Salem was Pitt’s interim play-caller in the 2015 Military Bowl.
Regardless of who calls plays, Pickett, Pitt’s longtime face of the program, won’t be under center — a new reality for the Panthers moving forward.
John McGonigal: jmcgonigal@post-gazette.com and Twitter @jmcgonigal9
First Published: December 17, 2021, 1:55 a.m.
