Kenny Pickett did it again. In a 16-13 win over Baltimore on Sunday, the Steelers rookie QB led his team down the field on Pittsburgh's last drive for the winning score.
He has completed fourth-quarter comeback drives in back-to-back weeks, making NFL history.
Kenny Pickett of the @steelers is the first rookie in NFL history to have a game-winning TD pass in the final minute of the 4th quarter in back-to-back games.
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) January 2, 2023
It's an impressive feat for Pickett, but the rookie's cool in the biggest moments isn't surprising to anyone in Pittsburgh's locker room.
"He's always ready to be that guy in the moments that we need him to be that guy," head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters after the game. "I don't think none of us are surprised by what he does from an intangible standpoint, and the proximity to him at Pitt really gave us that comfort."
Coach Tomlin on tonight's win over the Ravens ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/vZSK9zHfaU
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) January 2, 2023
Pickett, a star at Pitt, has helped the Steelers get to 8-8 after starting the season 2-6. And the victory is even more significant than some realize as he is "only the third rookie QB to win in Baltimore," per ESPN's Brooke Pryor.
Pickett has kept his team in playoff contention, too. If the Steelers (8-8) beat the Browns (7--9) in Week 18 and get some help, they'll make the playoffs.
Some of the top quarterbacks in the league have been given nicknames for their play. It may be a little early to assign one to Pickett, but "Kenny Comeback" has a nice ring to it.
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