Kevin Colbert Defends Steelers’ 2022 Kenny Pickett Draft Pick

Former Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert defended the franchise’s decision to draft quarterback Kenny Pickett with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft during a radio appearance in Pittsburgh earlier this week. Colbert said the selection reflected the club’s evaluation at the time, in the months after Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement, and that the front office believed Pickett could become a quarterback who would start and win games in the NFL.

Pickett was the first quarterback selected in the 2022 draft class and was taken 20th overall. His time in Pittsburgh lasted two seasons before the Steelers traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles, a quick turnaround that has kept scrutiny on the organization’s post-Roethlisberger planning at the sport’s most important position.

Colbert framed the pick as an effort to stabilize the quarterback spot during a major transition. He argued the decision should be evaluated based on what the team believed it was acquiring in 2022, rather than through the lens of how the roster evolved after the trade.

In his comments, Colbert pointed to Pickett’s record in starts as part of the reasoning for the original assessment. He said the Steelers saw Pickett as trending in the right direction while he was in the lineup, even though the club ultimately moved on after two seasons.

Colbert points to “start-and-win” projection and 14-10 record

Colbert said the Steelers projected Pickett as a “start-and-win” NFL quarterback. He cited a 14-10 record in Pickett’s starts with Pittsburgh as an indicator that the organization’s evaluation matched the on-field results it saw during that stretch.

Colbert did not lay out the full internal timeline that led to Pickett’s departure, but his central argument was that the front office acted on its scouting work and the information available to it when Pittsburgh was on the clock in 2022. Roethlisberger’s retirement, he suggested, added urgency to find a near-term option at quarterback.

Draft-board context and what the trade signals for Pittsburgh

Colbert also referenced a well-known moment in Steelers draft history, recalling the franchise’s decision to pass on Dan Marino in the 1983 NFL Draft. He presented the Pickett selection as a separate decision rooted in the Steelers’ board and the belief that a fit was available at No. 20 when the team was picking.

Pickett’s trade to Philadelphia after two seasons highlights how quickly quarterback plans can change, even after a team uses a first-round selection. With Pickett no longer in Pittsburgh, attention will remain on how the Steelers’ next quarterback group performs and whether the organization can establish longer-term stability at the position.

Colbert’s defense of the decision is likely to keep debate around the 2022 pick active, particularly as Pittsburgh continues to search for a lasting answer at quarterback.