14-10: The 'Winning Record' Kevin Colbert Just Dropped to Defend Kenny Pickett, and Why It Rings Hollow
Alright, so get this: a former NFL GM, Kevin Colbert from the Steelers, just came out swinging this week, trying to defend his decision to draft Kenny Pickett. And honestly, for any of us who bleed green and blue and live and die with our teams, his reasoning is… something. He was on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh, basically saying Pickett was a "start-and-win NFL quarterback," and for his two seasons there, he was "14-10 and trending in the right direction." My jaw hit the floor, because talk about looking at the world through rose-tinted glasses when the reality is, well, *very* different.The Deja Vu That Didn't Deliver
You know how team history can sometimes repeat itself, for better or worse? Well, the Steelers had a wild bit of déjà vu with their quarterback picks. Back before Terry Bradshaw's final year, they actually had a shot at Dan Marino with the 21st pick in the draft. They passed. Can you even imagine? Fast forward to the months after Ben Roethlisberger hung up his cleats, and what did they do? They "pounced" on another Pitt product, Kenny Pickett, with the 20th overall selection. The expectation was massive, right? But then, just two seasons in, they "punt-ed on Pickett," sending him packing. It's a quick turnaround for a guy projected to be *the* guy, isn't it?Colbert's Defense
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vs. Pickett's Reality Colbert's defense is all about that 14-10 record, saying Pickett lived up to the "start-and-win" projection and was "trending in the right direction." But let's look at the actual trajectory, shall we? It gets wild. Remember, Colbert actually retired *before* the Steelers traded Pickett. After leaving Pittsburgh, Pickett ended up with the Eagles for the 2024 season, where he apparently snagged a Super Bowl ring (unlike that other Pitt legend, Marino, who famously never got one). Then, just last year, 2025, he was on the move again, traded to the Browns and then the Raiders, landing in Las Vegas. And now? Kenny Pickett is sitting on the Panthers’ depth chart, playing second fiddle to Bryce Young. That's a lot of mileage in just a couple of seasons for a guy who was supposedly "trending in the right direction" as a franchise QB. This whole situation makes you scratch your head, doesn't it? It highlights just how tough it is to evaluate talent and predict future success in this league. For us fans here in the Emerald City, watching our teams build for the long haul, we're always looking for GMs who make decisions that stand the test of time, not ones that need a strong defense just a couple years later. As our teams push through the early part of the season, every move, every pick, is under the microscope. We're always looking forward to what's next and expecting our front offices to deliver.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.