Steelers Hint at Winner of Trubisky-Pickett QB Competition

Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin hasn’t announced a starter, but the team might have revealed the winner of its quarterback competition.

Football coaches typically prefer to reveal as little information as possible regarding personnel and strategy, lest they give opponents an unnecessary advantage in game planning.

To wit, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has yet to officially name a starting quarterback for his team’s Week 1 matchup at Cincinnati.

That said, the Steelers might have let the cat out of the bag when they announced their captains for the 2022 season Monday afternoon. The list includes running back Najee Harris, defensive tackle Cam Heyward, defensive end T.J. Watt, safety Miles Killebrew … and Mitchell Trubisky.

Both Trubisky and Pickett played well in the preseason, leaving Tomlin with a difficult decision.

Trubisky started all three preseason games, completing 24 of 34 passes (70.6%) for 283 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Pickett played in all three games, completing 29 of 36 passes (80.6%) for 261 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Our 2⃣0⃣2⃣2⃣ team captains:@ohthatsNajee22@CamHeyward
Miles Killebrew@Mtrubisky10@_TJWatt

📝: https://t.co/vyUjtrr6Qt pic.twitter.com/EV4wIgcivI

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 5, 2022

It’s difficult to imagine the Steelers announcing Trubisky as a captain and not starting him in Week 1. But it’s no guarantee that he will retain the starting job if he struggles early in the season. For what it’s worth, longtime Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger weighed in on the competition, saying he believed the veteran Trubisky should start under center for Pittsburgh in the regular-season opener.

After practice Monday, Trubisky spoke with the media about having been named one of the team’s five captains.

“It’s a tremendous honor,” Trubisky said. “Anytime you’re voted by your peers and your teammates, it obviously means a lot. I just come in here and try to lead by example, earn the trust of my teammates, and for them to vote me captain, it definitely means a lot.”

Trubisky was asked whether the captaincy means it can be assumed that he will be the Week 1 starter, but the veteran was coy in his response.

“You can assume anything you want,” Trubisky said. “The announcement will come out when it needs to come out, but you’re not going to hear it from me.”

QB Mitch Trubisky spoke to the media after practice about being named a team captain + more. pic.twitter.com/QqhOTmnBoI

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 5, 2022

Later on Monday afternoon, the Steelers listed Trubisky as the starting quarterback on the team’s depth chart via its official website. Fourth-year pro Mason Rudolph is listed as the backup, and Pickett is listed on the third string.

Trubisky, the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NFL draft by the Bears, spent last season backing up Josh Allen with the Bills after four uneven seasons with Chicago. Pickett was selected No. 20 in the ’22 NFL draft by the Steelers out of the University of Pittsburgh, where he finished his college career as the school’s all-time leader in passing yards (12,303), completions (1,045) and passing touchdowns (81).

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