FORMER Pittsburgh Steelers star Ryan Clark has weighed in on the team’s dilemma at quarterback.

Ahead of the 2024 season, Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin opted against committing to former first-round pick Kenny Pickett as their starter.

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Former Pittsburgh Steelers star Ryan Clark weighed in on the team’s options at quarterback heading into 2024. Credit: ESPN/ Get Up

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‘You’re going to strap your team to a quarterback that can’t lead you to the promised land,’ Clark said on the prospect of the Steelers sticking with Pickett. Credit: Getty
“There will be competition [at quarterback],” Tomlin said in January.

“There’s always competition in this thing. We don’t anoint anyone.

“I’m appreciative of [Pickett’s] efforts and where he is and excited about continuing to work with him.

“But certainly, he will be challenged from a competition perspective. Moving forward, competition brings the best out in all of us.”

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Now with free agency nearing its March 13 kick-off, and trade rumors continuing to swirl around some potential quarterback candidates such as Justin Fields, Clark has given his take on where he stands regarding Pickett.

Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up!, a day before he guest hosted First Take in place of Stephen A. Smith, Clark suggested that should the Steelers opt to bring in a free-agent veteran, they’d be going in the wrong direction.

“They’re going to try out and get a veteran that they can have an unbiased competition with,” he said.

“And if Kenny Pickett wins that, now they can walk into the season and say, ‘Okay, we went out and we tried to improve at the position,’ whether it’s a Ryan Tannehill or Russell Wilson.

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“‘And Kenny Pickett was a better choice than they were to lead the team this year.

“‘So now we have the confidence in the guy we drafted in the first round with the 20th pick.'”

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“If they do all that, it is gonna be on-brand for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and it’s gonna be dead wrong in this situation because you’re going to strap your team to a quarterback that can’t lead you to the promised land,” he continued.

“The reason that the Terrible Towel means something, the reason that the six Lombardis mean something is because that organization was built on excellence.

“Kenny Pickett is not going to be your leader to the promised land of excellence.

“And if he’s not, I do believe it is time to do something to make it different at that position.”

Drafted 20th overall in 2022, Pickett joined the Steelers having enjoyed a decorated career at Pittsburgh.

However, his tenure as the Steelers’ starter took a turn for the worse in 2023.

After going 7-5 his rookie year, passing for 2,404 yards, seven touchdowns, and nine interceptions, his second season saw a drop off in all three stats, as well as completion percentage.

Finishing with 2,070 yards, six touchdowns, four interceptions, and a 62% completion rate, he finished the season on the bench following an injury that had sidelined him for four games.

However, with Rudolph not set to hit free agency, and Mitch Trubisky already having been released, Pickett will be the team’s only quarterback come March 13.

Potential options in free agency include former Tennessee Titan Tannehill, former Denver Bronco Wilson, and former Minnesota Viking Kirk Cousins.