ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 15: Mason Rudolph #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers warms up before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

After a rather disappointing second season that saw him struggle throughout the 2023 season and ultimately end up losing his starting job, a decision has been made for Kenny Pickett when it comes to the 2024 season.

While Mason Rudolph started down the stretch for the Pittsburgh Steelers, head coach Mike Tomlin said Kenny Pickett is the first-string quarterback going into the 2024 campaign.

 

The longtime Steelers head coach told reporters that on Thursday while noting the plan is for Pickett to face competition as the team would like for Rudolph to provide the competition, but Tomlin pointed out “he’s a free agent.”

The coach also said “yes” when asked if next season’s starting quarterback is currently on the roster.

His comments would suggest that the team is ruling out selecting a quarterback with the No. 20 overall pick or perhaps trading for someone like Justin Fields who is seemingly on his way out of Chicago.

 

Pickett is 14-10 as a starter in his first two seasons but his production has not been up to par as he is 62.6 percent of his passes for 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

This past season, Rudolph’s run came to an end in the Wild Card Round against the Buffalo Bills. Overall, in three starts, Rudolph was 53 of 71 for a 74.6 completion percentage while throwing for 719 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.