Steelers quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan has been working in the NFL for most of the past two decades, and Kenny Pickett is the third rookie quarterback he has coached. One of Sullivan’s proteges went on to win two Super Bowls, while the other had a journeyman career. In both cases, Eli Manning of the Giants and Mike Glennon of the Buccaneers endured many of the same struggles Pickett is going through with the Steelers.
Manning went 1-6 as a starter with the Giants in 2004 when Sullivan coached receivers. Sullivan later became Manning’s quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. Glennon was 4-9 as a rookie in 2013 when Sullivan was Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator.
Now Sullivan is coaching Pickett as the rookie tries to figure out the NFL on the fly. Pickett is 1-3 as the starter with the only victory coming against the Buccaneers, a game he left in the third quarter after being concussed.
“There is going to be a learning curve,” Sullivan said. “That’s a big jump going from college to the NFL. There is no substitute for the reps and the experience and for being put into those moments when you’re thrown into the fire. We’re pleased with the progress he’s making. It’s a process. There are no shortcuts.”
Pickett has thrown eight interceptions and only two touchdowns. Those are some pretty depressing statistics midway through his first NFL season, but as it turns out, not out of the ordinary.
Many of the game’s all-time greats endured nightmarish rookie seasons, including Terry Bradshaw.
Bradshaw threw 24 interceptions and only six touchdowns during his rookie season in 1970. John Elway had a losing record in his first season in 1983 and threw twice as many interceptions as touchdowns. Peyton Manning threw 28 interceptions, and the Colts only went 3-13 during his rookie season in 1998.
All of those quarterbacks overcame their rookie struggles and won multiple Super Bowls. Others aren’t as lucky.
At 2-6, the Steelers are one of the NFL’s worst teams. They are last in the NFL in scoring and 28th in total offense. Pickett is playing behind a young offensive line that has struggled to open holes in the running game and protect him in the pocket. He was hit 11 times in Sunday’s 35-13 loss to the Eagles and sacked six times.
Playing under such adverse circumstances could stunt the development of some players. David Carr, the No. 1 overall pick of the expansion Houston Texans, went 4-12 as a rookie in 2002. The Texans never were able to surround him with the right personnel or coaches, and he went 23-56 as Houston’s starter before finishing out his career as a backup.
Sullivan does not believe Pickett is in danger of being ruined by his rookie experiences.
“I think he's getting a birth by fire,” Sullivan said. “He is being exposed [to experiences]. You go on the road there at Buffalo. He faced a great pass rush versus Philadelphia. It just gives him an opportunity to learn from those experiences and to continue to grow and develop, and develop that type of confidence, which he already has. But he kind of reinforces that. So I don't think there's a downside to it. It's tough. But he's a tough young man and we're expecting good things from him.”
There is a chance Pickett could have more success in the final nine games of the season. The Steelers faced the NFL’s toughest schedule in the first half of the season, and it lightens considerably in the second half.
Sullivan said Pickett’s mobility has been and will continue to be a plus. He’s also encouraged by his intangible qualities.
“No moment has been too big for him,” Sullivan said. “I mean, he has a competitiveness and a fire about him that despite what the circumstances are, what the scoreboard says, he's continually going out there, competing and trying to win. He hasn't been wide-eyed about any of this.”
Sullivan would like to see Pickett improve his pre- and post-snap reads and develop a better understanding of what opposing defensive coordinators are trying to do against him.
“He's made good decisions for the most part, but there have been a few instances where good defenses will change the look on you,” Sullivan said.
Accuracy on deep shots is also something Pickett must improve if the offense is going to take a step forward in the second half, Sullivan said. The Steelers are last in the league in yards per pass attempt because of their inability to push the ball down the field.
Ray Fittipaldo: rfittipaldo@post-gazette.com and Twitter @rayfitt1.
First Published: November 3, 2022, 2:26 p.m.