Kenny Pickett haters look distraught after he did the Steelers a huge favor

Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett has now moved to the Philadelphia Eagles. Pickett was traded to Philadelphia this offseason after Pittsburgh signed Russell Wilson. Pickett didn't necessarily have a problem with the Steelers signing Wilson, but he also didn't feel like it was an open competition.

As valid as Pickett's opinion may have been in the moment, he actually did the Steelers a huge favor. Had he stayed in Pittsburgh, he likely would have started the season under center thanks to Wilson's lingering calf injury. However, Pickett's move to Philadelphia forced the Steelers to replace him. In doing so, they acquired Justin Fields as a long-term option for the position, who after four games looks like a real candidate.

Still, that hasn't stopped some Pittsburgh fans from bashing Pickett even if he returns for a Pitt game this season. Whether he likes it or not, Pickett is a Pitt Panthers legend – but some fans booed him over his controversial departure from the Steelers.

Many Steelers fans are tired of the narrative, and rightfully so – Pickett was traded months ago and the season is almost five weeks old. But just last week, another article, this time from Pittsburgh Magazine, threw some unnecessary shade at the current Eagles backup. Author Mike Prisuta compared Pickett's departure to the continued presence of Dan Moore Jr. on offense, whose flexibility is valued by the Steelers.

“If there was anyone who had the right to pull a Pickett and sulk over the past few seasons, it's Moore, a former fourth-round pick who started 16 games as a rookie in 2021 and 17 more in 2022,” Prisuta wrote. “Instead of taking it personally when players with higher pedigree were acquired at the expense of valuable draft capital at the position he plays, Moore kept his head down and kept working.”

Of course, that's not even close to the whole story. Moore Jr. can play multiple positions on a five-man Steelers offensive line. Pickett is a quarterback with only one player getting time. The backups are quickly forgotten, and in Pickett's case he would quickly be labeled a bust if he were usurped by Wilson.

By securing a trade to the Eagles, his boyhood team, Pickett launched a fresh start while allowing the Steelers to refine their quarterback room. It's now clear he did Pittsburgh a favor, as Fields continues to have great success in his first season as a Steeler.