PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett reflects on his first year in the NFL and the growth he made from his first start in October until the end. Also his thoughts on working with Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada.
"I felt like the offense started to become my own the more I was playing in it, taking real ownership of it instead of just kind of playing catch-up when I got thrown in there a little bit earlier and I was just worried about executing the plays," Pickett said. "Now I felt like I had everything at my disposal when I was coming to the line of scrimmage. I felt like I made a good jump there in the learning curve, and I want to make that leap into Year 2 now."
Of the last four games he started and finished, Pickett threw a touchdown pass in each. A pair of those at the end of the game to lead a comeback win. He would finish with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions, compare that to five weeks into his career when he had two TDs and eight INTs.
"I just want to be consistent," Pickett said. "I want to be a consistent guy, a consistent leader. I want to continue to improve. I don't think I'm anywhere close to what I can be and what I'm going to be. So I'm excited to attack the off-season and take that leap into Year 2."
The excitement comes from really understanding the game, not just the execution of plays, but knowing where alerts are, checking down, communication with the receivers and team. He feels he took ownership of the offense.
Even though people may thing that can happen in spite of the offensive coordinator, it can't. It takes Pickett and Matt Canada working together. He said that relationship grew over the season.
"We're just getting to know each other," Pickett said. "I get to know how he calls games. He gets to know what I like, constant communication. The more I was playing, the more input I was able to have and what I like.
"We were always on the same page with Coach Sully [Mike Sullivan] as well. So I really appreciate Coach Canada and Coach Sully for the season we had and putting a lot of time in. I don't think anyone realizes the amount of time the coaches put in, but they're pretty much living at the facility and doing everything
they can to get us in a position to win. So it was good from that aspect."
Tailback Najee Harris defended Canada as well saying a lot of the criticism on social media about calling the same plays, Harris said all teams do. The second-year tailback says if you really understand the game you know the plays are the same it's just a matter of how you dress them up. Najee called it a 'coverup for a lack of stuff we were doing on the field as players.'
Pickett said he's excited to start work in the off-season. After a little time away, he will be coordinating with players in get-togethers during the off-season.
"We feel at least offensively with the skill guys, we're definitely going to get together and continue to make progress," Pickett said. "Guys need to get away a little bit and kind of de-stress, I guess. We'll reconvene and get back to work. I'm excited for what the future holds. I think we have a lot of great players. So I'm really excited for that."
As for what Pickett got out of his first season as a professional quarterback?
"I don't think I learned anything new," Pickett said. "I always had the belief -- it's just kind of you're coming into the NFL. You just want to go do what you always believed that you could do. I did that, believed in myself that I could always be at this level doing it. So I guess proving it to yourself, I guess.
But the belief is always there. It feels good to live out your dream. Now that the first year's out of the way, I'm excited to get back with these guys and get ready to work.
