It’s not often that an NFL Hall of Famer goes out of his way to defend a quarterback who has already been traded twice in just three years in the big league. However, four-time Super Bowl champ Terry Bradshaw made it a point to speak up for Kenny Pickett.
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In his recent interview, Bradshaw didn’t hold back in stating that Pickett’s failure at Steelers had more to do with the team than the player. “Kenny Pickett didn’t fail — the Steelers failed,” said the NFL legend, according to CBS Sports.
As per Bradshaw, the lack of protection, nonexistent weapons, and an offensive scheme that didn’t suit the young quarterback were the reasons for Pickett’s failure. “They didn’t get him an offensive line… no wide receivers to speak of,” Bradshaw said, as he called out his former team for setting the now Browns QB up to fail.
Considering Pickett hasn’t received such glowing praise in recent times, the latest episode of the Ultimate Cleveland Browns Sports Show zeroed in on Bradshaw’s comments. Analysts Earl Da Pearl and Cecil Shorts III took the legendary quarterback’s words and ran with them.
Earl Da Pearl, for starters, reflected on Bradshaw’s support and wondered aloud: “Is the endorsement for Kenny Pickett authentic, or is this just the politics of how it goes at this point?”
The analyst also emphasized Bradshaw’s stature, noting that a Hall of Famer publicly siding with Pickett wasn’t nothing — but he still questioned the timing and sincerity behind it.
Cecil, meanwhile, took a more measured tone. “I think I’ve seen enough of Kenny Pickett,” he said bluntly. “He’s not going to be a game-changer.”
For Shorts, it’s not about what Bradshaw said but about what Pickett does next, particularly whether he can stand out in a Browns quarterback room. It boasts talents like Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders.
“Can one of these guys galvanize the troops and really run an efficient offense?” Shorts asked, before raising a critical theory — what if the Browns are hyping Pickett just to flip him? “You won’t get nothing crazy back… maybe a sixth or seventh round pick, but you can trade him.”
Earl agreed with that take, noting, “If the need becomes high enough across the league, you might be able to swing and get a fourth-rounder for him.” Simply put, both analysts hinted that Cleveland might be trying to recoup some draft capital, especially with Flacco as a veteran buffer and two rookies pushing for reps.
And amidst all this, there’s Kenny Pickett himself, who’s done his best to stay diplomatic, even if his recent comments raise eyebrows. While praising his short time in Philly, the quarterback noted that he finally saw “how it was supposed to be done” — a subtle yet pointed dig at his Steelers experience.
So, are these recent endorsements of Kenny Pickett about football potential, or just damage control after a messy breakup? That’s the question swirling now. Either way, the real answer will come this fall — when the Browns find out whether they traded for a quarterback or into yet another quarterback dilemma.
