DECEMBER 29: Tomlin confirmed Friday it will be Rudolph starting against the Seahawks. Pickett is close to full strength, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, but the Steelers will stick with Rudolph — their third-stringer for most of the past two seasons — after his performance against the Bengals. A sixth-year veteran, Rudolph has now been slotted in all three positions on Pittsburgh’s QB depth chart this season.

DECEMBER 26, 11:33am: When speaking to the media on Tuesday, head coach Mike Tomlin said the team will adopt a similar setup to the one used at practice last week. As a result, Pickett will see some reps as his recovery continues, but for now Rudolph remains atop the depth chart. The latter is in line to hold first-team duties in consecutive games after seeing a combined two starts from 2020-22.

8:58am: The Steelers put an end to a three-game losing streak this weekend with Mason Rudolph under center. The team’s third-stringer may have played his way into another start, but Kenny Pickett could be an option in time for their next contest.

The latter is expected to return to the lineup for Week 17, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (video link). Pickett has been sidelined for three full games after undergoing surgery on a high ankle sprain. Pittsburgh elected not to place him on injured reserve, a move which would have guaranteed a four-week absence. That left the door open to a quicker return, but reports pointed to a month-long absence being expected.

Getting Pickett back would be a welcomed development for the Steelers, although the team’s offense has been a sore spot for much of the season with and without him in the lineup. Rudolph posted a passer rating of 124 in Week 16’s win over the Bengals, a game which had major implications for Pittsburgh’s playoff chances. It would come as a surprise, however, if Pickett did not get the nod in the event he received clearance to return to the lineup.

The top quarterback selected in the 2022 class, Pickett has not progressed in his second season as many hoped he would. The 25-year-old has been at the heart of a passing attack which struggled to find a rhythm during the early portions of the season. That led to the firing of offensive coordinator Matt Canada, but the chances of the current setup with Mike Sullivan serving as play-caller remaining in place beyond this season are slim.

That is in part due to the underwhelming play of backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who originally filled in for Pickett after his injury. The former No. 2 pick was replaced in favor of Rudolph, however, and he faces an uncertain future with the team despite being under contract through 2025. Pickett, too, is the subject of questions regarding his long-term viability given his lack of development in his brief NFL tenure.

Strong play at the QB spot from Pickett or Rudolph would help the Steelers’ playoff push. The 8-7 outfit is still in contention for a wild-card spot with games against the Seahawks and Ravens remaining on the schedule. With plenty still on the line, Pickett’s status throughout the week will be worth monitoring.

The Steelers made unwanted history over the past few days by losing consecutive contests against teams eight games under .500 via their upset defeats against the Cardinals and Patriots. In the latter contest, backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky filled in for an injured Kenny Pickett. That setup will likely continue for the time being.

Pickett suffered a high ankle sprain during Sunday’s loss to Arizona, and he underwent surgery the next day in an attempt to minimize the time he missed as a result of the injury. Pittsburgh elected not to place him on injured reserve, a move which would have guaranteed a four-week absence. In spite of that, the team is indeed “bracing” for the possibility of Pickett missing that much time, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

The 2022 first-rounder was immediately ruled out for the Steelers’ Thursday night game in the wake of his procedure, but no further updates to his status have been announced. While his availability on a game-by-game basis will thus be worth monitoring closely, the Steelers face the possibility of relying on Trubisky at the helm for a critical late season stretch. Pittsburgh now sits at 7-6 on the outside of the AFC’s wild-card picture.

Pickett’s Year 2 performance had not lived up to expectations prior to his injury, with the Steelers’ offense as a whole struggling to find consistent production. The decision to dismiss offensive coordinator Matt Canada – which came about from head coach Mike Tomlin after multiple discussions with owner Art Rooney II – seemed to spark a turnaround in a win over the Bengals. The Steelers topped 400 yards in that game, but their offense took a step back in the Cardinals and Patriots losses, leaving the team with a challenging path in the closing weeks of the campaign.

Trubisky – who began the 2022 season as the starter before being replaced by Pickett on a full-time basis – has 56 starts to his name, making him an experienced spot starter. The former Bears No. 2 pick has generally put up underwhelming numbers during his time in Pittsburgh, however, which will lead to questions about the team’s offensive capabilities down the stretch. As Pickett’s status remains in the air, the possibility looms that Trubisky will be counted on to steer the Steelers back into the playoff picture.

11:50am: Pickett’s tightrope procedure is complete, and Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports a two-to-four week absence should be expected. When speaking to the media, head coach Mike Tomlin declined to rule Pickett out for any games beyond the Steelers’ Week 14 matchup, however. His recovery process will be worth watching closely as it pertains to Pittsburgh’s playoff outlook.

9:33am: The ankle injury which Kenny Pickett suffered in Week 13 will force him to miss time, but it may not be season-ending. The Steelers’ starting quarterback will undergo surgery today, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Rapoport adds, crucially, that the Steelers will not place Pickett on injured reserve. Doing so would require at least a four-week absence and, for all intents and purposes, shut him down for the remainder of the campaign. Pickett will miss Pittsburgh’s upcoming Thursday night game at a minimum, Rapoport notes, so Mitch Trubisky will handle starting duties against the Patriots.

Pickett’s procedure will address the lingering issue which he has been dealing with throughout the season. Rapoport notes the 2022 first-rounder’s surgery will be aimed at repairing a high ankle injury, so it would come as no surprise if he were to miss more than one game as a result. The Steelers could still find themselves in contention for an AFC playoff spot in the closing weeks of the season, however, so Pickett’s recovery will be a major storyline.

Pittsburgh sits at 7-5 after yesterday’s upset loss against the Cardinals. Offensive production was an issue in that game, something which has been the case for much of the year. The Steelers’ lack of improvement on that side of the ball led to the firing of Matt Canada, and an uptick in efficiency appeared to be on the horizon based on the team’s first outing after the decision. Questions will be raised about their ability to consistently produce with Trubisky at the helm for the time being, though.

The veteran has been in Pittsburgh since 2022, the year in which he ceded the starting role to Pickett midseason. Pittsburgh has had to use Trubisky on a number of occasions since then, however, owing to Pickett’s injury troubles. The 25-year-old’s latest ailment will interrupt his first full season as a starter, one in which he has roughly duplicated his statistics from his rookie campaign. While that has limited the Steelers’ output in the passing game, they have leaned on their rushing attack in recent weeks in particular.

Pittsburgh rushed for 130 yards in Week 13, using the tandem of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren in the backfield. That helped raise the team’s average to 115 yards per game on the ground, which ranks 14th in the NFL (compared to 30th in their passing output). A ground-heavy approach would come as little surprise with Trubisky now atop the depth chart as the Steelers look to continue their postseason push with a shorthanded offense.