When it comes to Kenny Pickett, critics may have plenty to say, but one thing is indisputable: the quarterback’s toughness is unquestionable.
Filling in for the injured Jalen Hurts, Pickett reportedly played through significant pain in the Philadelphia Eagles’ 41-7 rout of the Dallas Cowboys.
According to Eagles cornerback Darius Slay, the former first-round pick battled broken ribs on just three days of rest before leaving the game early in the second half.
“He bad broken ribs a little bit, so that makes it even better,” Slay said after the game. “He was amazing. People always forget that Kenny was a starting quarterback in this league and won a lot of games over there in Pittsburgh.
“We expect him to do great things and he did that tonight. He let y’all know he’s still here.”
To manage the pain, Pickett reportedly received two injections – one before the game and another at halftime.
Despite the injury, he made enough plays to set the Eagles up for success, earning high praise from his Pro Bowl teammate.
Slay even compared Pickett’s resilience to that of his former Detroit Lions teammate, Matthew Stafford.
“The last person I’ve seen do stuff like that was [Matthew] Stafford,” Slay added. “He played through real bad injuries [in Detroit] and was still making plays.
“To see that dude come out here like that just shows how tough he is and how much he cares about this team. He put us in a great position to win and we appreciate that.
“I don’t know how he doing it. But if he doing it like that, kudos to him. That’s tough. To be getting hit and [expletive] with broken ribs. It’s crazy.”
Pickett’s gritty performance ended when Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons delivered a crushing hit that left him down on the field for a while before he was taken to the locker room.
Despite the pain, the quarterback remained upbeat after the game and gave an expected answer when asked about the injury.
“I’m good. I’m good. I’ll be alright,” Pickett said. “Came in with a little bit of an injury and we’ll do some more tests and everything, see how it looks. But I’ll be OK.”
Pickett’s toughness played a pivotal role in securing the Eagles the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs.
With a postseason spot locked up, the team now has the luxury of resting other key players in next week’s game against the New York Giants.
As for Pickett, do you think the Steelers are wondering if they gave up on him a little too soon???
