Tomlin names Trubisky starter, Pickett backup for Steelers taken on the South Side (Steelers)

KARL ROSER / STEELERS

Mitch Trubisky

Claiming yesterday's depth chart that showed Kenny Pickett as the Steelers' No. 3 quarterback behind Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph came because of a clerical error, Mike Tomlin officially put an end to any more questions regarding who his quarterback pecking order Tuesday at the UPMC-Rooney Sports Complex.

Trubisky, the leader in the clubhouse all along, will be the starter, while Pickett, the team's No. 1 draft pick this year, will be No. 2. Rudolph, the Steelers' backup the past four seasons, will be No. 3.

The Steelers’ head coach had remained non-committal about which of his quarterbacks would replace retired Ben Roethlisberger as the team’s starter after 18 seasons, though all signs – including the initial depth chart released Monday afternoon -- had pointed to Trubisky. 

Tuesday, Tomlin made it official. Trubisky will be the team’s starter at quarterback when the Steelers travel to Cincinnati to face the Bengals at Paycor Stadium Sunday to open the season. 

“We’re just really comfortable with what Mitch has shown us,” Tomlin said. “He’s a guy that came to us with franchise quarterback experience. He’s comfortable in those shoes. He’s been the focal point of a football team in an organization before. He’s had success doing so. He took the Bears to the playoffs in two out of four years. He has a winning record as a quarterback. Those things were attractive to us.” 

Thus ends a months-long process that saw Trubisky open OTA sessions as the team’s starter ahead of first-round draft pick Pickett and Rudolph. 

Trubisky, signed to a two-year deal in free agency in the offseason, will get the nod, a move that occurred a day after the sixth-year veteran was voted a team captain by his teammates. 

“Mitch is really comfortable in those shoes and displayed that daily in just about any circumstance you put him in,” Tomlin said. 

The second-overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, Trubisky has started 50 games in his career, compiling a 29-21 record as a starter. He twice led the Bears to the postseason and was voted to the Pro Bowl following the 2018 season. 

But with the selection of Pickett in the first round of this year’s draft, Tomlin held a competition for the team’s starting job, though Trubisky, because of his edge in experience, was the leader all along. 

All three quarterbacks played well in the preseason as the Steelers posted their first unbeaten preseason since going 5-0 in 1997. The three quarterbacks posted a combined passer rating of 113.1, throwing seven touchdown passes without an interception. 

Trubisky completed just over 70 percent of his passes in the preseason, throwing for 283 yards with two touchdowns and a passer rating of 115.2. 

“I’m really pleased with the growth and development of Kenny,” Tomlin said. “That’s why he’s listed as No. 2. I thought his acceleration of development really took off once we stepped into stadiums. His decision making, the fluidity of it, his competitive spirit, his pinpoint accuracy, all of those things really came to the forefront once we started stepping int stadiums.  

“And I thought he grew and grew at a really fast pace once we got into stadiums. And I also think it’s reasonable to expect that growth to continue as we push into the regular season. We’re excited about where he is and the ground he’s covered to this point and the ground he’s going to continue to cover.” 

Pickett, the only quarterback selected in the first round of this year's draft, completed just over 80 percent of his passes in the preseason for 261 yards and three touchdowns. 

Tomlin said earlier in training camp he expected his defense to be “dominant.” Asked about his expectations of his offense on Tuesday, his response was similar. 

“I think there’s more continuity on the defensive side of the ball. So, it’s reasonable to expect that process to be more fluid quicker,” Tomlin said. “We’re trying to be a World Championship-caliber team. It’s going to require us to be special in all three phases, and those are our intentions."

• In other news, Tomlin said rookie running back Jaylen Warren had earned the No. 2 job behind starter Najee Harris over Benny Snell.

Warren was an undrafted rookie free agent out of Oklahoma State. What that No. 2 role might mean remains to be seen.

"He’s been highly consistent when given opportunities in all areas, when given the opportunities, whether it’s running the ball inside or out, whether it’s in the passing game, blitz pickup, he’s been highly competitive in all circumstances," Tomlin said of Warren. "You can also include special teams in that. He’ll get an opportunity to carve out a role for himself as we continue to play. … We’ll have a hardcore plan as we step into Stadium 1, but those things are subject to change. Plans get hardened the more stadiums you step in."

• When asked about what separated Kevin Dotson from Kendrick Green at the left guard position, Tomlin was a little more straightforward.

"He played better than KG," Tomlin said of Dotson. "It’s as simple as that."

Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

• Tomlin said Harris, the team's second-year running back, was excited Monday about being named one of the team's captains for the 2022 season along with Trubisky, Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt and special teams player Miles Killebrew.

"I had a cool conversation with Najee yesterday," Tomlin said. "He was excited about being a captain. He said, ‘What does this mean to me?’ I said, ‘It means absolutely nothing. It means conduct yourself in the way you have conducted yourself because your teammates think that’s admirable.’"

• As for his team's remade offensive line as a whole, Tomlin said the expectation is that the unit continue to grow.

The Steelers have new starters at right guard and center in free agents James Daniels and Mason Cole, respectively, while Dan Moore will start his second season at left tackle along with Dotson at left guard and Chuks Okorafor at right tackle. Okorafor is the only one with more than two years experience with the Steelers, entering his third season as the team's starter on the right side.

"Some of them are new to the professional game. Some of them are new to Pittsburgh. It is a collective body of work, so there is a cohesive component, as well," Tomlin said of his line. "There are reasons why units, particularly offensive lines, develop at different rates and sometimes experience the growing pains associated with that. I’m not expecting that to cease instantly as we push into the regular season. They’ll be continually growing as a collective. But they had better make enough plays to be successful along the way. I’m just acknowledging that truth, as well."

• Asked about the status of wide receiver Diontae Johnson, Tomlin said he'll wait until the team releases its first injury report Wednesday to address that.

Johnson suffered a shoulder injury in the team's preseason finale.

As for linebacker Alex Highsmith, who missed most of the preseason with a rib injury, Tomlin was more revealing, saying he expects Highsmith to play.

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