Steelers express faith in Trubisky with Pickett likely out

Diontae Johnson put his palm down and raised his hand up above his head.

“My faith is up here,” Johnson said, “with Mitch.”

After the ankle injury suffered by Kenny Pickett on Sunday, by Thursday the Pittsburgh Steelers truly don’t have much of a choice but to believe in Mitch Trubisky.

Then again, Trubisky and the Steelers have been in this position before. Last year around this time, in fact.

Pickett is expected to miss “a couple of weeks,” according to an ESPN report, which means he will be unable to play in the Steelers’ next game, Thursday at home against the New England Patriots.

Aside from the short week, it’s a situation a lot like what the Steelers faced last season when Pickett was knocked out of a Dec. 11 game and could not play the following week at the Carolina Panthers because of a concussion. Trubisky filled in with his best game as a Steeler, completing 17 of 22 passes and rushing for a touchdown in a 24-16 victory.

“We have all the faith in the world with Mitch,” center Mason Cole said after the Steelers’ 24-10 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals. “He’s won games here and across the league. Nothing changed (Sunday) when Mitch got in. Game plan was the same, communication was the same.”

Unfortunately for the Steelers, the offensive production remained relatively the same as with Pickett, too. At 16 points per game the Steelers are among the bottom five teams in the NFL in average scoring.

On Sunday, Trubisky was 11 for 17 for 117 yards and a late touchdown pass to Johnson. Trubisky was charged with a lost fumble — his third turnover in limited action this season — but a low snap by Cole didn’t help.

Regardless, Trubisky’s two-year Steelers tenure has featured 10 games, five starts, six touchdown passes and seven interceptions. His pedigree as a former No. 2 overall draft pick, experience in the league (31-24 record as a starter over seven seasons) and 21 months in the Steelers’ system leaves teammates with a level of comfort.

“We throw the ball with each other at practice,” Johnson said. “He may not be the starter, but I still take reps with him. I treat him as though he’s the starter as well.”

If there was any doubt, coach Mike Tomlin confirmed Trubisky will start if Pickett cannot play. Trubisky has been ahead of Mason Rudolph on the depth chart since he signed with the Steelers in March 2022. Rudolph, a seven-year veteran, has been the Steelers’ No. 3 quarterback since Rudolph re-signed in May.

Trubisky was summoned into a game Sunday for the third time this season and fifth time since being benched in favor of Pickett during Week 4 of Pickett’s rookie season last year.

Related:

• Offense takes step back, Pickett hurt in weather-delayed Steelers loss to Cardinals
• Steelers’ T.J. Watt: ‘The NFL has something… against me’ in regards to no flags on holds of him
• Minkah Fitzpatrick plays with broken hand, but Steelers lose Elandon Roberts, Isaac Seumalo
• Cardinals’ James Conner has big game during ‘special’ win over Steelers in return to Pittsburgh

Pickett was injured during a third-and-goal play from the Arizona 3-yard ine with 5 minutes, 30 seconds remaining in the first half when he absorbed a hit and was stopped just short on a dive for the goal line. Pickett was tackled from behind by defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter while two other Cardinals converged on him.

Pickett was on the injury report last week because an ankle injury but did not miss any practice time.

Among 24 career starts, Pickett has not been able to finish a game five times because of injury. Last season, Pickett twice went into concussion protocol. During the Week 4 loss earlier this season, Pickett suffered a knee injury and three games later suffered a rib injury.

During three of the previous four occasions Pickett suffered an in-game injury, he returned to start for the Steelers the following week. The lone exception was the Carolina game that showed how the Steelers can win with Trubisky.

Against Arizona, though, the Steelers scored during just one of four drives with Trubisky in at QB.

“We’ve got to find a way to score points somehow,” Trubisky said. “Just gotta maneuver points and just focus when we get down in the red zone. We moved the ball today. But it doesn’t matter when you shoot yourself in the foot and go backwards on plays you shouldn’t.”

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