‘A good reset’: New Eagles QB Kenny Pickett eager to begin his next NFL chapter close to home

As soon as quarterback Kenny Pickett learned of his trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Eagles, the team he grew up rooting for, he called the man who initiated his fandom.

Pickett’s father, Ken, spent time growing up in Philadelphia before moving to Ocean Township, N.J., and raised his son as an Eagles fan despite living in New York Giants territory. The elder Pickett took him to Eagles games at the Linc when he was 5 years old, exposing him to players like Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, and Brian Dawkins, who he would each count as some of his favorites as he got older.

Over the past seven years, the Pickett family made the trek out west to visit him while he played in college at Pitt and in the NFL for the Steelers. On the other line of that phone call, Ken was “so excited” to learn his son was moving closer to home, according to Pickett.

“It’s an hour-and-15-minute drive now instead of five and a half, and they’ve been making that five-and-a-half-hour drive for seven years now,” Pickett said Monday at his introductory news conference. “So it’s my turn to make the drive back over this way, a little bit closer, and be able to spend some more time with family and see everybody. It’s gonna be pretty special.”

» READ MORE: Kenny Pickett’s fit with the Eagles

Pickett, who turns 26 in June, got his start playing in high school at Ocean Township and spent five seasons at Pitt, leading the team to its first ACC championship appearance in 2018. After his fifth year of eligibility in 2021 in which he set school records in single-season yards (4,319) and touchdowns (42), finishing third in Heisman Trophy voting, the Steelers selected Pickett No. 20 overall in the 2022 draft.

It didn’t take long for Pickett to earn the starting job in Week 5 during his rookie season, sending previous starter Mitchell Trubisky to the bench. In 13 games (12 starts), Pickett threw for 2,404 yards and seven touchdowns with nine interceptions on 289 attempts (63% completion) for a 76.7 passer rating.

However, Pickett lost the starting job late in his second season. He sustained an ankle injury in Week 13 that required surgery, keeping him sidelined for the next four games. According to multiple reports, Pickett was cleared to play in the lead-up to their Week 17 game against the Seattle Seahawks, but he did not want to be the third-string, emergency backup. Pickett pushed back on those reports on Monday.

“There was a plan there for that game,” Pickett said. “It went down exactly the way it was planned to go down that entire week. I was coming off the ankle surgery, so it is what it is.”

Although Pickett was active for the season finale, Mason Rudolph usurped him as the starter, relegating him to the backup role. Rudolph also started in the Steelers’ lone playoff game against the Buffalo Bills.

Pickett’s uncertain future with the Steelers came to a head on March 10 when news broke that quarterback Russell Wilson planned to sign with the team. The NFL Network reported that after Pickett learned of the trade on social media, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told him that while he’d have a chance to compete for the starting role, and Wilson would get the first reps. Pickett ultimately requested a trade, and the Eagles acquired him and a 2024 fourth-round pick in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick and two 2025 seventh-round picks.

According to multiple reports, the Steelers went ahead with the trade because Pickett handled the Wilson signing poorly, but Pickett stood behind his actions in the aftermath.

“I think the communication is what it is,” Pickett said. “It was behind closed doors. I’m confident in the way that I handled it. I handled it the way I should’ve handled it. I’m excited to be here. It worked out so well that Philly was the place I ended up landing in. So I think everything happens for a reason and I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”

Following the trade, Pickett figures to serve as the backup to starter Jalen Hurts with two years remaining on his contract. Pickett said that while he had never spoken to Hurts previously, he has already communicated with him via text to learn about how he’s getting acclimated to the new coaching staff, including offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier.

Pickett also said he met with Moore and Nussmeier on Monday. He has spent time watching both Hurts and the Eagles from last season as well as Moore’s offenses with the Los Angeles Chargers and the Dallas Cowboys. While he won’t have a complete understanding of how his skillset will fit in the scheme until he sees the playbook, Pickett said he’s excited to “get back to having fun” alongside his new teammates.

“I just think it’s a good reset,” he said. “I think getting a chance to play on this team in that quarterback room with a couple great guys, helping those guys out any way I can and just be ready if my number’s called somewhere down the road. It’s a crazy, crazy league, crazy business. Just trying to put my best foot forward and be an asset for this team.”

The Eagles’ interest in Pickett isn’t a total surprise — the quarterback said he recalled general manager Howie Roseman coming to watch him at a Pitt-North Carolina game in his final college season during the predraft process. Pickett helped the Panthers to an overtime victory in the rain, so he was glad Roseman attended that game in hindsight.

Nearly two and a half years later, Roseman has brought Pickett back to the place where he discovered his passion for football.

“I have great memories of my dad taking me here, my grandfather, all my family members coming out to the games together and just having great memories,” Pickett said. “The fact that, hopefully, I can help provide some great memories for some other families now coming up, it’s pretty surreal and a full-circle moment for me.”