For the better part of two years, Kenny Pickett could do no apparent wrong in Mike Tomlin’s eyes. No matter what’d take place with the Steelers on or off the field, no matter the setting, Pickett held favorite-son status on the South Side.
Until, that is, Pickett spoke the one word he probably knew he couldn’t speak.
Per two sources with direct — and I mean direct — knowledge of how that dialogue went down:
On the evening of March 10, soon after Russell Wilson had been signed, Pickett and Tomlin had a phone conversation in which, per Pickett’s understanding, the long-anticipated summer quarterback competition would still occur, only now it’d be between Pickett and Wilson, as opposed to Pickett and Mason Rudolph. That talk went without incident.
The following morning, there was another phone conversation, and this time Tomlin told Pickett that Wilson would be QB1 heading into OTAs and on through Latrobe. (No, I don’t know why that wouldn’t include the preseason or regular season. I’m just relaying.) And that conversation resulted, almost immediately, with Pickett stating, “So trade me.”
Followed by the end of the call. Followed by the trade four days later.
This accounting follows familiar patterns at both ends, of course: Tomlin’s long enforced his we-want-volunteers-not-hostages with Le’Veon Bell, Melvin Ingram, LeGarrette Blount and, most recently, Diontae Johnson. And Pickett’s shown a short fuse anytime any aspect of his starting status has come up, fully confident he’s a quarterback of that caliber. Both are as proud as they are obstinate. Even if Pickett, in particular, knew he’d put himself into a position where he’d cede control of his own circumstances, even if he’d been advised by friends and teammates to not act out rashly, he’d do precisely that.
This isn’t a criticism of either, to be clear. I’ve had more than my fill of this subject. But it feels important to share who had the actual interactions — Omar Khan’s name never came up once, for instance — as well as how it unfolded, how it connects to the recent past and how it might play out again in the future.
• Both of these sources, by the way, told me that Pickett never refused to dress as emergency quarterback in Seattle, affirming my reporting in the previous Friday Insider. Pickett displayed plenty of related personality quirks in his brief tenure here, and such a scenario might seem plausible, but the refusal thing didn’t actually occur. Per one, “Can you imagine what Tomlin would’ve done to anyone who refused to suit up?”
Yeah, kinda seems like a more severe scenario than simply uttering the wrong word, huh?
• One thing I can’t get out of anyone is how Wilson vs. Justin Fields might take shape. Speaking only for myself, I can’t be convinced that, if Fields were to put forth some extraordinary spring/summer, he wouldn’t at least have a shot to start.
• The Steelers appreciate Dan Moore so much more than anyone outside their South Side walls. Don’t be anywhere near sure they’re aiming to replace him. Their priority on the offensive line’s at center and, within that, it’ll now shift to the NFL Draft.
• Wide receiver’s the last real priority as far as a significant free agent. Not that corners, both on the outside and at nickel, aren’t also needed.
• The other day in Newark, N.J., I asked a couple of the Penguins who might be in a theoretical line for an extension if they’d heard from Kyle Dubas on that front, and all replied in the negative. Not that these are — or aren’t — the people I asked, but Marcus Pettersson, who’s still got another full year on his existing contract, pops to mind. The way he’s performed in 2023-24, he’ll be crazy expensive on the open market. And the same might apply to the various one-year terms, such as Alex Nedeljkovic, who’s been terrific as Tristan Jarry’s backup but could be gone this summer.
• Knowing Sidney Crosby as I do, we’ll likely never be fully aware of how angry he was with Dubas over the Jake Guentzel trade. I’m positive he was angry, though. I’m positive he took it far harder than anyone else on the roster. Just as I’m positive that, after a few days, he fully recommitted himself to the current cause — such as it is — of pursuing the Stanley Cup playoffs.
• I’ve never seen Evgeni Malkin like this, on or off the ice. He’s had shoulders-slumped droughts over the years, but never one where he looked overmatched when playing, defeated when he isn’t. Awful to watch either one. Generational talent. Three-time champion. … It gets to all of us, doesn’t it?
• The NHL’s general managers convened in Florida earlier in the week, with a focus on altering three-on-three overtime and/or stopping cheating on faceoffs by, on the latter count, assessing actual penalties to the violator. To which almost everyone responded that the focus could simply be on enforcing existing rules, notably cross-checks, which have crept back into the game in a brutal way.
• Six days from now in Miami, the Pirates will open their 143rd season, and there’s still no signals being sent as to whether Henry Davis has made the roster. Which is … wow, considering he’s not only 11 for 36 with four home runs, 11 RBIs and five walks, but he’s also acquitted himself quite nicely behind the plate, where his biggest challenges remain. Meanwhile, Yasmani Grandal’s been hurt since the first week, and Davis still hasn’t been declared? Never underestimate the extent to which spring training’s scripted out.
• Speaking of which: Roansy Contreras now being labeled a reliever, per Derek Shelton last night in Bradenton, semi-concludes the single most predictable scenario of the spring, which was that Contreras would’ve made this roster if he’d done nothing more than lob all his pitches to the backstop. He’s still mostly a mess, but he’s out of options and, if he’s ever placed on waivers, the Rays or some other much smarter operation will claim him, fix him in five minutes and embarrass — again — everyone in the Pirates’ fold.
• Fretting over first base and/or right field? Don’t. At least not without weighing Connor Joe being used at both positions extensively, beginning on opening day in Miami. Elevating what he can bring has been part of the broader offseason plan.
• I don’t cover college athletics, and I don’t cover Duquesne, but I once did both, and I also once went to school on the Bluff. As such, I learned a lot about how and why the Dukes were held down for so long leading into this remarkable resurrection we continued to see play out yesterday in Omaha, Neb. And contrary to what might be popular perception, it’s had precious little to do with basketball. The powers that be inside Old Main had long doubted the benefit to the university of basketball and, for that matter, another institution in the Tamburitzans. And every chance they’d get, they’d whack away at the funding, to the point that the Tammies are now an independent entity. It was disgraceful. It was unconscionable. And a ton of people — not me — were terrified to criticize them. But they’re gone now, and that’s a good thing. Hope they’re enjoying the week.
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