Steelers: Former Pitt HC shows his bias in Kenny Pickett vs. "Big Ben"

The Pittsburgh Steelers were serious contenders for nearly two decades with Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback. Hoping to find the next best thing, Pittsburgh drafted Kenny Pickett to be the future of the franchise. But according to former Pitt Panther HC, Dave Wannstedt, Pickett already has "Big Ben" beat in multiple areas: Wannstedt: "He's More Athletic […]

Rob Gregson — NFL News Writer

Aug 9, 2023 9:43 AM EDT

Jan 8, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) greets fans following a 28-14 win over the Cleveland Browns at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Steelers were serious contenders for nearly two decades with Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback.

Hoping to find the next best thing, Pittsburgh drafted Kenny Pickett to be the future of the franchise.

But according to former Pitt Panther HC, Dave Wannstedt, Pickett already has "Big Ben" beat in multiple areas:

Wannstedt: "He's More Athletic and has Played in Bigger Games"

“He’s just such a winner and such a competitor," Wannstedt said about Pickett on The Colin Cowherd Podcast. "Maybe his arm strength isn’t Ben Roethlisberger, but I think the guy’s probably more athletic and he’s played at more big games at this point than Ben did. Coming out of college, Ben did not play at the level that Kenny Pickett did for four years against Division One schools and beat some really good opponents. I think all that stuff is part of him and he’s very confident. "

Well, I don't know if this is one former Pitt Panther standing up for another, but Roethlisberger was one of the more athletic quarterbacks in the league during his prime. Ben was known for making second-chance opportunities out of nothing and creating out of the structure of the offense.

There was a reason that Josh Allen's main comparison when coming out of college was Ben Roethlisberger. He wasn't being compared to Ben in the late 2010s, he was compared to Ben as we remember him in the Super Bowls, and during the "Killer B's" era.

And as far as playing in bigger games, maybe Wannstedt forgot Ben's rookie season. One that saw him start 16 total games including two playoff games, going 1-1 in those contests and winning offensive rookie of the year.

So we can all be optimistic about Kenny Pickett. In fact, we should be. But it can't come at the cost of one of the franchise's greatest players, especially when the opinion just isn't viable.