Pittsburgh Steelers fans watched Super Bowl LX with some thought of what might have been. After all, Pittsburgh played the champion Seattle Seahawks much closer in the regular season than the Patriots did last Sunday, and beat New England, too. Even further, Sam Darnold was one of the quarterbacks the Steelers considered signing last offseason.
Now Darnold is a Super Bowl champion, and Steelers fans are left wondering whether Aaron Rodgers will be returning under center for the team in 2026 with Mike McCarthy set as the new head coach.
Of course, when the phrase ‘what might have been’ and quarterbacks are uttered in close proximity, one recent name springs to mind for Steelers fans, that being 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett. Having watched Darnold go from journeyman to champion, Pickett is one of several quarterbacks around the league hoping to replicate Darnold’s redemption arc.
Sam Darnold gave Ex-Pittsburgh Steelers QB Kenny Pickett the blueprint to put his career back on track
Pickett himself is also a Super Bowl champion, though it was as a backup in Philadelphia. Last season, he landed with the Las Vegas Raiders via trade after competing in training camp for the Cleveland Browns’ starting job. Despite the Raiders’ struggles, landing the No. 1 overall pick they’ll no doubt spend on Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, Pickett couldn’t overtake Geno Smith as the starter.
In the few appearances Pickett had in 2025, he didn’t look great. The former Steeler completed 63% of his 45 pass attempts for just 188 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Pickett was responsible for just 11 first downs on 79 offensive snaps across the season.
While Pickett didn’t come into the league with the same level of expectations as Darnold, being a former first-round pick, it’s understandable if he would prefer to land somewhere this offseason where he can once again fight for a starting position. With the draft class being much weaker at his position than many expected, there may certainly be some opportunities.
But Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay suggests that Pickett should look to rebound in a manner much more similar to Darnold.
“While Pickett could try once again to compete for a starting job somewhere, it would benefit the New Jersey native to follow in Darnold's footsteps and land a QB2 role with a stable franchise that has a history of developing signal-callers,” Kay wrote.
Kay mentioned how Darnold spent the 2023 season in San Francisco, taking mental reps with Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers. The next season, he was ready to step in for Minnesota and then took over in Seattle in 2025.
Pickett lacks some physical tools, as has been well documented since he came out of the Pittsburgh Panthers college football program. Mental sharpness and timing are where he can find his edge as a starter. But that’s only if he can land somewhere where he can be properly developed in the meantime. None of his stops in the NFL have really afforded him that opportunity, including the Steelers.
San Francisco could be such an option once again, depending on what’s next for Mac Jones. The Green Bay Packers will also need a backup quarterback, with fellow 2022 draft class QB Malik Willis primed to compete for a starting role elsewhere. The Cincinnati Bengals are a team closer to home for Yinzers to consider, too, especially with Joe Burrow’s injury history.
As long as Pickett doesn’t take over for an AFC North rival the way Darnold did in Seattle, many Steelers fans aren’t too concerned with what the future holds for the former Pittsburgh starter in the NFL. Still, it will be interesting to see which route he decides to take this offseason, and whether that brings him back to the AFC North or not.