Emotional Steelers QB Kenny Pickett Wants Losing Feeling to End
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers locker room was an emotional one following their third-straight loss of the season. But, in the midst of a 24-20 fall to the New York Jets, the team made a change, sending out Kenny Pickett to play quarterback in the second half.
The first-round rookie threw three interceptions but rushed for two touchdowns as he helped the team gain a 20-10 lead in the second half of Week 4. But after his final turnover, the Jets marched down the field to push the ball over the plane with 16 seconds left, earning the victory at Acrisure Stadium.
Pickett took the podium afterward for the first time as the first-string quarterback of the Steelers, and immediately, you could see the emotions were high.
"A lot of emotions, but the only thing I'm thinking about is winning out there," Pickett said on his game. "I was kind of staying in tune with the game and what we needed to do to come out with the win and that didn't happen. So, it's something I definitely need to learn from quickly and get a fix for whenever my next opportunity may come."
Watching the press conference, Pickett spent most of his six minutes looking slightly down, deep in thought as he spoke about losing.
"I just play with an edge," Pickett said. "That's something that I wanted to bring to the table. I do not like to lose. This is not a good feeling. I don't want it to be a familiar feeling, so I definitely want to get back out there and get a victory, get us back on track.
"So, I think a little bit of an edge to me. I want that to rub off on everybody. I want us to have an attitude when it's out there on the field. I'm excited to get back to work get us back on track."
You saw that edge. The fans knew about that edge. It was the same on that got him drafted in the first round, won him an ACC Championship and a Heisman appearance, and the same one that has pushed him into the Steelers' starting lineup.
But for now, all he's thinking about is how to get away from losing.
"I wanted to win more than anything," Pickett said. "So, I don't know what I proved to anybody. But we didn't win. That's one thing we didn't do. That's my only focus."
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