Steelers Kenny Pickett has no timetable for return following surgery on right ankle, Mike Tomlin
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett underwent surgery on a high-ankle sprain Monday morning after injuring his right ankle during Sunday’s 24-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, coach Mike Tomlin said Monday.
Tomlin did not mention a timeline for Pickett’s return, but said the quarterback is out for the week. Mitchell Trubisky will get the starting nod against the New England Patriots on Thursday, but Tomlin told reporters that Pickett’s injury is not going to be season-ending.
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Pickett was slow to get up in Sunday’s game after trying to rush for a touchdown in the second quarter. He was tended to by trainers and evaluated on the sideline before being taken to the locker room, where he was ruled out for the rest of the contest. Trubisky replaced Pickett to complete the drive that ended with a turnover on downs at the Arizona 1-yard line.
With the loss, Pittsburgh fell to 7-5 in a game that was interrupted by two delays for lightning in the area.
Pickett was on the injury report this week with an ankle injury. The 25-year-old, who was 7-of-10 passing for 70 yards before exiting Sunday, has been unable to finish five of his 24 career starts because of injury.
The Steelers also saw another injury to safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who broke his left hand during the game, Tomlin said. He was put in a cast at halftime and finished the rest of the game. Fitzpatrick recorded five tackles — four of them solo — against the Cardinals, his first game back after missing more than a month due to a hamstring injury.
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What this means for the Steelers
With Pickett out, the Steelers shouldn’t be in that bad shape, whether it is short-term or long-term. They have leaned on their running game with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren the past month, including against the Cardinals on Sunday. So, if they have to go with Trubisky for any length of time, it shouldn’t been a disaster offensively. That’s how they have been successful most of this year on offense and that is how they want to play. Everything has been based off their offensive line getting a push to open holes for both their running backs. Sure, they would love to have Pickett leading the way but Trubisky has enough experience to get them through it in the short term. — Mark Kaboly, Steelers senior writer
Trubisky time
While losing a starting quarterback is never a good thing, the Steelers are in a better position than most to handle it. In part because of Pickett’s inexperience and history of injuries, they signed Trubisky to an extension this offseason to serve as a mentor and injury insurance. Trubisky has his limitations as a passer. However, not many teams have a quarterback with 66 games of NFL experience (including five starts at a Steeler) on their roster. He’s been an effective game-manager in the past when thrust into action in similar circumstances. — Mike DeFabo, Steelers staff writer
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(Photo: Justin Berl / Getty Images)
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