The 2023 season has largely been one to forget for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett. He’s gone through multiple injuries, a coordinator change and loud criticism in the media.

Now entering the regular season finale, Pickett is dealing with a report and additional speculation that he “refused” to serve as the team’s backup quarterback in Week 17.

“Just got told that Pickett 100 percent refused to be the backup,” Pittsburgh sports personality Mark Madden wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on January 1. “That the Steelers writers know that but won’t write it.”

In response, when he spoke to reporters on January 2, Pickett strongly denied the report that he didn’t want to be the backup for Mason Rudolph.

“I saw reports out there that I felt like were attacking my character and how I am as a person, not even getting into a player standpoint of it,” Pickett told reporters, via The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly. “There was no talk of me being a backup quarterback this week in terms of being a two. If I was healthy enough to play and the trainers and coaches felt like I looked good enough to play, I was gonna start and play.

“If they believed that I was not, which they believed I was not, I was not gonna dress and suit up for the game.”

Just got told that Pickett 100 percent refused to be the backup. That the Steelers writers know that but won't write it.

— Mark Madden (@MarkMaddenX) January 1, 2024

The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly didn’t confirm Madden’s report, but he suggested during a radio appearance that it might not have been just health that made Pickett inactive in Week 17.

“I’m very, very highly skeptical that it was 100 percent Mike Tomlin’s decision that Kenny Pickett did not dress yesterday,” Kaboly said on The Fan Morning Show, via The Steelers Wire’s Allison Koehler.

Questions about Pickett’s availability surfaced after the second-year quarterback was inactive in Week 17 against the Seattle Seahawks. Pickett hasn’t played since he underwent ankle surgery on December 4.

Mike Tomlin Explains Why Kenny Pickett Didn’t Dress in Week 17
A comment from Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin seemed to fuel the Madden report and Kaboly speculation. During his press conference on January 1, Tomlin said Pickett received medical clearance prior to the game.

That seems to differ from the story Pickett shared. Tomlin, though, explained that Pickett didn’t play because of his lack of practice during the week.

“That clarity [about Pickett’s availability] didn’t come until later in the week,” Tomlin added. “It was about the distribution of reps and who was best prepared and positioned to help us win. And so that’s the direction that we went with.”

Tomlin’s response appears to indicate that Pickett’s performance this season, along with his health, led to the Steelers starting Rudolph. No one can blame Tomlin for that decision based on how Pickett has played.

It’s notable, though, because NFL teams don’t sit franchise quarterbacks if they are medically cleared, regardless of when the clearance comes.

Pickett not playing against the Seahawks appears to be an indictment on the team’s confidence in the 25-year-old. But it doesn’t confirm Madden’s report that Pickett refused to be the team’s backup.

Pickett Confirms He Will Be Backup QB in Week 18
Other than a loud denial, Pickett putting his head down and helping the team however possible in Week 18 would go a long way to refuting Madden’s report.

That appears to be happening. Pickett confirmed to reporters on January 2 that he will be the Steelers backup in Week 18.

“This week, I’m now the two. They feel good four weeks out of the surgery for me to dress and be the two,” Pickett said, via Kaboly. “So, I’ll be the two and do what I have to do to be ready to go for Baltimore.”

Pickett admitting that he will be the team’s backup in Week 18 throws doubt over the idea that he wasn’t willing to have that job on December 31.

The Steelers have won two straight games with Rudolph as their starting quarterback. In those two contests, Rudolph has completed 68.6% of his passes for an average of 11.1 yards per attempt. He has also thrown 2 touchdowns with zero interceptions.

Pickett is 7-5 as a starter this season. He owns a 62% completion percentage and 6.4 yards per pass average with 6 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.