Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Controversy Should Be An Easy Decision

It has been some time since the Pittsburgh Steelers had to make a decision on a quarterback. With Mitch Trubisky and rookie, Kenny Pickett having good preseasons, which QB should start is now on the table. Some fans are all-in to let the rookie earn his spot, but that might not be the best decision.

When it comes to rookie quarterbacks, the NFL chews them up and spits them back out so there should be no rush to put a rookie in. Of course, if anyone knows how good a rookie quarterback can be, it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers. After Ben Roethlisberger, it’s safe to say they have a pretty good track record. With that being said, they lose absolutely nothing by holding him out. If there’s not a clear-cut winner, go with the veteran.

Let’s not forget, it’s preseason. No one is going out and running more than their bread and butter, vanilla, or generic playbook. They aren’t running a ton of gadgets or trick plays. They’re not disguising looks. They’re giving younger players a chance to show they’re ready to make a contribution. Teams are saving their secrets for the regular season. If you roll a rookie out there just because he had a great preseason, you could be setting yourself up for failure in the long term.

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So unless there’s a huge gap between your rookie and veteran QBs, always go with the veteran. Rookie quarterbacks need to establish timing in the league as well as confidence. A young QB can get a big head going into week 1 and get crushed. A few more tough outings and you’ll have a hard time coming back from a few bag games. If Kenny Pickett is your QB of the future, there’s no better experience than hands-on experience. With that being said, teams often meet a point of no return.

If they start Pickett and he has mixed results they might have to turn to Trubisky and try and give them a spark to save their season. It’s a risky move that rarely pays off. Now you’re destroying the mindset of a QB who is supposed to be your future. Besides, the whole point of signing someone like Trubisky was to draft a QB that you wanted to develop for years to come. Let him be the gap and if he struggles you can always turn the franchise over to the future.

Playing this “who should they start” game is fun for analysts, but the coach should be smarter than that. If your rookie isn’t much better than the veteran, why take that risk of destroying a player mentally?