Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin hasn't announced a starter, but the team might have revealed the winner of its quarterback derby.
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Football coaches typically prefer to reveal as little information as possible regarding personnel and strategy, lest they give opponents an unnecessary advantage in game planning.
To wit, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has yet to officially name a starting quarterback for his team's Week 1 matchup at Cincinnati.
That said, the Steelers might have let the cat out of the bag when they announced their captains for the 2022 season Monday afternoon. The list includes running back Najee Harris, defensive tackle Cam Heyward, defensive end T.J. Watt, safety Miles Killebrew . and Mitchell Trubisky.
Both Trubisky and Pickett played well in the preseason, leaving Tomlin with a difficult decision.
Trubisky started all three preseason games, completing 24 of 34 passes (70.6%) for 283 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Pickett played in all three games, completing 29 of 36 passes (80.6%) for 261 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
It's difficult to imagine the Steelers naming Trubisky as a captain and not starting him in Week 1. But it's no guarantee that he will retain the starting job if he struggles early in the season. For what it's worth, longtime Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger weighed in on the competition, saying he believed the veteran Trubisky should start under center for Pittsburgh in the regular-season opener.
Trubisky, the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NFL draft by the Bears, spent last season backing up Josh Allen with the Bills after four uneven seasons with Chicago. Pickett was selected No. 20 in the '22 NFL draft by the Steelers out of the University of Pittsburgh, where he finished his college career as the school's all-time leader in passing yards (12,303), completions (1,045) and passing touchdowns (81).
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