Pittsburg, PA
Tim Benz: Kenny Pickett's strengths became his biggest weakness by the end in Pittsburgh
During his first media availability with the Philadelphia Eagles, former Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett acknowledged that he wanted to leave Pittsburgh in advance of Friday’s trade that sent him across the state.
He also did little to tamp down a narrative that he pouted his way through much of the last four months, including a refusal to dress for the Week 17 game in Seattle when it became clear he wouldn’t start.
When asked about that storyline surrounding the Seahawks game by the Philadelphia media Monday, Pickett said, “That goes back to a lot of the communication behind closed doors that didn’t go the way that I feel like they went in how it’s getting released. There was a plan there for that game. It went down exactly the way it was planned to go down that entire week.”
Former #Steelers QB Kenny Pickett on reports of him refusing to dress vs. Seattle in Week 17 pic.twitter.com/ERPN5yrD27
— Rob Gregson (@NFL_Rob) March 18, 2024
That was quite a non-answer answer. In that situation, any answer besides, “It’s not true, I never refused to dress,” is going to leave people continuing to assume you refused to dress.
In terms of the reported trade request, once the Steelers signed Russell Wilson, Pickett said, “It just felt like it was time from the things that transpired and (I) wanted to get a chance to go somewhere else to continue to grow my career.
“It was behind closed doors. I’m confident in the way that I handled it. I handled it the way I should’ve handled it. I’m excited to be here. It worked out so well that Philly was the place I ended up landing in, so I think everything happens for a reason and I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”
Kenny Pickett says he felt it was time to move on from Pittsburgh and go somewhere he could grow his career #Eagles pic.twitter.com/YCYO3Z0FEY
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) March 18, 2024
Kenny Pickett on the reports over the last few days that he handled the Russell Wilson signing poorly
Says he feels he handled everything the right way: #Eagles pic.twitter.com/Rk3BRnYK92
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) March 18, 2024
When Pickett says, “It was time,” how much time did he really give it? He was given the starter’s job four weeks into his first regular season. The team benched twice and eventually cut the starter (Mitch Trubisky), who had the job before him. Then they let the guy who took it from Pickett (Mason Rudolph) walk out the door to Tennessee even though he was excellent in winning the last three games of the regular season to guide the team to the playoffs.
Pickett didn’t even take one snap under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, and he wasn’t willing to endure one training camp battle from Wilson for his starting job.
Did anyone along the way tell Pickett the history of quarterbacks being challenged for their starting job in Pittsburgh? Kordell Stewart was challenged by the likes of Kent Graham and Mike Tomczak and got it back, eventually leading the team to the 2001 AFC Championship game. At least Wilson has a Hall of Fame track record and (hopefully) something left in the tank.
Four years into his career, future Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw started what would become a Super Bowl season on the bench behind Joe Gilliam.
Terry Hanratty yielded the starter’s job to Bradshaw in 1971 and stayed with the team all the way through 1976 and won two Super Bowl rings as a result.
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Sometimes, the road gets tough. Now, through this trade, it may have gotten tougher. Sure, Pickett got his wish to leave Pittsburgh. He’s even going to the Eagles, the team he grew up rooting for as a child.
But in terms of playing time, there is much less of a chance of Pickett wedging his way past Jalen Hurts than there would’ve been here replacing Wilson.
To borrow a favorite cliche of Mike Tomlin’s, that’s a far cry from “smiling in the face of adversity.” That’s just sending a frowny face emoji in a text.
When Pickett was drafted by the Steelers in 2022, even proponents of the pick understood that he may have had some limitations.
He didn’t have a cannon, but his arm was strong enough. He wasn’t a dynamic scrambler, but he certainly moved well enough. He wasn’t as tall as Big Ben, but he was big enough. His hands weren’t large, but, gosh darn it, those thumb stretching exercises were getting the job done well enough.
Basically, physically, Pickett was enough… enough. Theoretically, what was supposed to make him worthy of a first-round pick was everything else.
His smarts. His maturity. His poise. His leadership. His toughness. His command and knowledge of the game. All the things he exhibitted on a daily basis at the University of Pittsburgh and through his first year and half with the Steelers.
All those intangibles were going to heighten the average tangibles he had to the point that he was a championship-contending NFL quarterback.
Unfortunately by the end of his brief Steelers career, Pickett’s good physical gifts weren’t close to being good enough. And all those seemingly wonderful off-the-field traits ended up being detractors instead of multipliers.
Someone with so much alleged poise wouldn’t have reacted so negatively, so quickly to Rudolph staying under center late last year, and Wilson getting signed this offseason.
Maybe those positive qualities will manifest once more in Philadelphia if called upon should Hurts falter or get injured. If not, though, if Pickett thought he had had it tough in Pittsburgh, I wonder how he’ll handle criticism in a town that basks in its own reputation for dishing it out.
Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via X. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.
Pittsburg, PA
Luke Bryan concert expected to bring thousands of fans to Pittsburgh-area farm
On Sept. 17, multi-platinum country music star Luke Bryan will bring his Farm Tour to 1846 Farms near Latrobe.
Westmoreland County is no stranger to large outdoor concerts. Some may remember the Rolling Rock Town Fair in the early 2000s, while others may recall Luke Bryan’s stop at a farm in South Huntingdon Township just two years ago. Now the country music superstar is returning to the area.
The Unity Township farm’s general manager, Aleisha Stas, gave KDKA a tour of the family farm, which dates back to before the Civil War. She says Bryan’s team first reached out after finding the farm on social media, but she says at first, she and her family thought it was too good to be true.
“This was around April Fools, so we thought it was an April Fools prank,” Stas said. “My whole family, we were like, there’s no way this is about to happen. But this has been incredible.”
Stas says Bryan’s team is handling everything logistically from parking and bathrooms to deciding exactly where the concert will be staged.
“If we have it on this side of the property, we can hold 12,000 people,” Stas said. “And if we have it on (the other side) of the property, it can be up to 20,000. But we have not determined that yet.”
Many of those decisions will be made as September gets closer. In the meantime, however, the farm is holding off on planting in certain fields until the final concert location is selected.
And while hosting thousands of people may sound a little intimidating, Stas says her family is excited to welcome fans to the farm for what they hope will be a memorable night.
“Obviously, we’ve never had this many people here before, so it will be a new thing for all of us, but we are not worried,” said Stas. “Luke Bryan’s team are experts with this, and I think it will go great.”
Tickets for this concert are currently on sale, and they will run you about $77 per person, plus tax for general admission.
Pittsburg, PA
2025 Steelers Offseason Recall: Garrett shutdown as Pittsburgh bullied Browns in Week 6 | Steel City Underground
Steel City Underground presents post-game takeaways in our Steelers Offseason Recall series, revisiting key moments from the 2025 season and how they shaped the year that followed.
AFC North football rarely looks pretty, and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 6 matchup against the Cleveland Browns at Acrisure Stadium followed that familiar formula. What started as a defensive slugfest on a torn-up field eventually turned into another frustrating afternoon for Cleveland as Pittsburgh pulled away for a 23-9 victory.
The win improved the Steelers to 4-1 and extended their remarkable regular season home winning streak against the Browns to 22 games. More importantly, it reinforced an early-season identity centered around disruptive defense, efficient quarterback play, and winning the battle in the trenches.
Looking back, these were the biggest surprises from Pittsburgh’s victory.
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Jalen Ramsey stole the show from Watt and Garrett
Nobody expected Jalen Ramsey to leave Week 6 with more sacks than T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett combined, but that’s exactly what happened.
Ramsey entered the game after missing practice time earlier in the week and proceeded to deliver one of the more unexpected stat lines of the season. The veteran defensive back recorded two sacks and six combined tackles while frequently helping confuse Cleveland’s protection schemes.
Meanwhile, Watt recorded half a sack while Garrett failed to register one entirely.
Ramsey even admitted afterward that the performance surprised him. His production highlighted an emerging trend within Pittsburgh’s defense: pressure was coming from everywhere.
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The Steelers defense overwhelmed Cleveland’s offense
While Ramsey grabbed headlines, the collective defensive effort suffocated Cleveland for most of the afternoon.
The Steelers finished with six sacks as Nick Herbig led the team with two sacks while Ramsey added two of his own. Derrick Harmon, Watt, and Alex Highsmith also got involved as Pittsburgh repeatedly collapsed the pocket around rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Gabriel never looked comfortable. The rookie completed 29 of 59 passes for 221 yards and struggled once Cleveland became one-dimensional after falling behind. He finished with a passer rating of 66.3 while absorbing constant punishment.
Pittsburgh didn’t rely solely on edge pressure either. Defensive backs blitzed, interior rushers collapsed protection, and disguised looks forced Cleveland into mistakes.
Perhaps equally impressive was how the Steelers handled Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins. Entering the matchup, Judkins had averaged 4.6 yards per carry and looked like one of Cleveland’s few consistent offensive weapons. Pittsburgh erased that advantage, holding him to a season-low 36 rushing yards on 12 carries while limiting him to 3.0 yards per attempt.
Through five games played after their bye week, the Steelers had already amassed 20 sacks and were rapidly becoming one of football’s most disruptive defenses.
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Myles Garrett disappeared
The Browns needed a game-changing performance from Myles Garrett. Instead, Pittsburgh’s offensive line turned in one of its best performances of the season.
Garrett moved around the formation throughout the game, but he spent much of the afternoon lined up across from Broderick Jones. With occasional help early and more one-on-one opportunities later, Jones and company neutralized Cleveland’s biggest defensive weapon.
Garrett finished with only two combined tackles. He failed to record a solo tackle, sack, forced fumble, quarterback hit, or pass defended.
Keeping Garrett quiet fundamentally changed how Cleveland could attack Rodgers and allowed Pittsburgh’s offense to remain balanced throughout the afternoon.
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Rodgers stayed efficient and upright
Aaron Rodgers didn’t deliver a vintage statistical masterpiece: he simply controlled the game.
The veteran quarterback completed 21 of 30 passes for 235 yards while distributing the football efficiently and trusting Arthur Smith‘s offensive approach. Rodgers leaned heavily on his tight ends early before taking advantage of favorable matchups later in the game.
His biggest moments arrived in the second half. Rodgers connected with Connor Heyward for a touchdown strike before finding D.K. Metcalf for another score that helped create separation on the scoreboard.
Equally important, Rodgers stayed upright. For only the second time that season, Pittsburgh allowed zero sacks. Cleveland hit Rodgers only three times despite him attempting 30 passes.
Compare that with Dillon Gabriel, who absorbed six sacks and 16 total quarterback hits.
The offensive line, aided by extra blocking looks featuring Spencer Anderson, kept Cleveland’s front from controlling the game and allowed Rodgers to operate comfortably. Metcalf benefited from the protection, turning four receptions into 95 yards while the Steelers spread touches across Jonnu Smith, Pat Freiermuth, Roman Wilson, Darnell Washington, and Heyward.
Meanwhile, Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell, and Kaleb Johnson combined for 89 rushing yards to maintain offensive balance. Pittsburgh averaged 5.8 yards per play and controlled possession despite both teams having the same number of drives.
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The officiating nearly stole the spotlight
Not everything about the victory came without frustration. Ron Torbert’s officiating crew inserted itself into the game repeatedly as Pittsburgh absorbed ten accepted penalties during an afternoon filled with questionable decisions.
Several pass interference rulings frustrated players and fans alike.
Jerry Jeudy appeared to drag Brandin Echols down by both shoulder pads on one play, yet the result went against Pittsburgh. Later, Browns cornerback Denzel Ward appeared to pin D.K. Metcalf’s arm without drawing a flag.
Even Watt found himself repeatedly flagged for alignment penalties despite checking positioning with officials beforehand, leading to visible frustration from Mike Tomlin on the sideline.
The most controversial moment arrived on special teams. Ke’Shawn Williams appeared to spark the crowd with a 47-yard punt return before an illegal blindside block penalty on Jabrill Peppers erased the play. The penalty not only wiped away field position but also backed Pittsburgh up an additional ten yards.
Despite the officiating frustrations, the Steelers remained composed, and by the end of the afternoon, that discipline, paired with suffocating defense and efficient offense, delivered another divisional win and continued building momentum heading into a critical AFC North stretch.
Pittsburg, PA
Pirates Trade Relief Pitcher to Twins
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates sent out one of their relief pitchers, who they had recently moved on from.
The Pirates announced that they traded right-handed relief pitcher Justin Lawrence to the Minnesota Twins for cash considerations on June 1.
Pittsburgh designated Lawrence for assignment on May 29, as they activated right-handed starting pitcher Jared Jones from the 60-day injured list, making room for Jones on both the 26-man roster and the 40-man roster.
The Twins decided that instead of waiting for Lawrence to go on waivers, they sent cash considerations to the Pirates to get him over another potential ball club.
Overlook at Justin Lawrence’s Tenure With the Pirates
Lawrence struggled for the Pirates this season, posting a 5.32 ERA over 22.0 innings pitched and 23 outings, a 0-2 record, 25 strikeouts to 12 walks, a .244 batting average allowed (BAA) and a 1.55 WHIP.
He had a solid campaign for the Pirates in 2025, aside from missing four months due to injury, with a 0.51 ERA over 17 appearances and 17.2 innings pitched, where he looked to get even better this year.
Lawrence struggled with his sinker and his fastball, with a .282 BAA and a 44.7% hard hit rate on his sinker and a .353 BAA and a 36.4% hard hit rate on his fastball.
His sweeper was also not effective as it was a season prior, as hitters did have 31.3% hard hit rate, but he still had effectiveness with it, amassing 18 of his 25 strikeouts on it.
Lawrence had a poor stretch from April 6-12, where he gave up eight runs and six earned runs over 3.2 innings pitched and four outings.
He pitched in two losses to the San Diego Padres at PNC Park, April 6 and 8, and played a role in the Chicago Cubs forcing the game into extra innings on April 11 at Wrigley Field, which the Pirates won, then gave up the tying run in the 7-6 loss to the Cubs on April 12.
Lawrence bounced back with seven straight scoreless outings, before giving up eight runs and four earned runs over four outings from May 8 to May 16.
His last outing came vs. the Cubs at PNC Park, a 10-4 loss on May 27, where he gave up two runs over two innings on a two-run home run to left fielder Ian Happ.
It ends a little more than a year between Lawrence originally joining the Pirates off of waivers from the Colorado Rockies and serves as a disappointing ending from a promising start for the reliever.
Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates!
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