PITTSBURGH — Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett has undergone ankle surgery to expedite his recovery from a high sprain to his right ankle, according to coach Mike Tomlin’s announcement on Monday.
Although Pickett will miss the upcoming Thursday’s game against the New England Patriots, Tomlin emphasized that the injury is not season-ending. However, he did not provide a specific timeline for Pickett’s return.
The procedure Pickett underwent is known as the “TightRope,” as sources revealed to ESPN. Interestingly, Pickett had a similar ankle stabilization procedure on his left ankle back in 2020 while playing for Pitt, and he returned to action after just four weeks.
In Pickett’s absence, quarterback Mitch Trubisky took the helm during Sunday’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals and will continue as the starter against the Patriots. Mason Rudolph will serve as the backup.
Tomlin explained the decision to start Trubisky by saying, “He gets the most work. You can’t give work to three guys, to be quite honest with you. Most of Mason Rudolph’s work comes on a scout team offense, and so Mitch has been positioned to get the work.”
Additionally, the Steelers have signed former Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley to the practice squad.
Thursday’s game will mark the seventh time in 26 games that Trubisky has had to step in due to Pickett’s injuries. However, Tomlin dismissed concerns about Pickett’s repeated injuries being chronic, especially regarding ankle injuries, stating that they are addressing each case individually.
Pickett had previously left two games early this season due to a knee bruise and ribs injury. He also exited two games early with concussions and missed one start. Last season, when Trubisky took over or started after Week 5, the Steelers had a 2-1 record in those games.
So far this season, Trubisky has completed 29 of 49 attempts for 273 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Tomlin expressed confidence in Trubisky, saying, “He’s been a franchise quarterback before. He’s comfortable in those shoes. He doesn’t behave like a backup being elevated, and I think those are things that make him attractive.”
Trubisky will face a Patriots defense that has held opponents to seven points or fewer in the past three games. Their passing defense has also shown improvement, limiting opposing offenses to an average of 189.3 yards in their last three outings.
Despite the challenges posed by Pickett’s absence, tight end Pat Freiermuth expressed confidence in Trubisky and downplayed any notion of deflation within the Steelers, emphasizing that they are “full steam ahead” with their game plan.