Steelers QB Kenny Picket Responds to Ben Roethlisberger's Comments

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett hopes he and Ben Roethlisberger can continue to build upon their relationship.

PITTSBURGH -- Ben Roethlisberger was not the biggest fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers first-round draft pick in 2022. When the team he had spent his whole career with and won so much with had drafted a new quarterback in Kenny Pickett, Roethlisberger was afraid he'd get left behind and forgotten. 

He admitted that to Pickett and the world in an episode of his podcast, Footbahlin, earlier this week but added that he quickly got over those feelings and became a full-throated fan. Both on the episode and when he was asked about it at the first day of Steelers OTAs, Pickett brushed it aside.

“He’s honest, he’s upfront about it and he’s a fan now," Pickett said. "So I think we’re just going to continue to build on that relationship and reach out if I have any questions. I’m excited to go into year two with another guy in my corner.”

Pickett said that was his first real interaction with Roethlisberger, getting to spend some time at his house, meet his family and record the episode of the podcast. 

He couldn't exactly empathize with his feeling but gave some grace to Roethlisberger. Throughout high school and college, Pickett was close with his successors and always enjoyed seeing them play well after he had moved on. Pickett and Roethlisberger didn't have much of a relationship before, which he suspects might have led to some of the hard feelings initially. 

“The guys that I had at Pitt and in high school, I felt like I was building something there and you take a lot of pride in that," Pickett said. "I had never met Ben, so I think it’s a bit of a different relationship. The guys that I had played with and had so many great memories with and so many great friendships, I always pull for those people to be successful and I feel like I take pride in something like that. So I think it’s a different situation between Ben and I.”

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