WATCH: Former Pitt QB Kenny Pickett Throws Eagles’ First Preseason TD

Kenny Pickett and Tanner McKee have competed throughout training camp for the Philadelphia Eagles backup quarterback job, and Pickett started the first half of the first preseason game.

Pickett — a 6-foot-3, 220-pound quarterback from Ocean Township, N.J. — got the best of McKee in his first opportunity to suit up as a Philadelphia Eagle. He completed 14-of-22 pass attempts for 89 yards and a touchdown in an efficient performance.

Pickett completed a 7-yard touchdown toss to Eagles running back Will Shipley late in the first quarter, rolling out of the pocket and hitting his running back on the move to give the Eagles an early 6-3 lead.

The Eagles squeaked out a 16-13 win over the Baltimore Ravens Friday night courtesy of a 49-yard field goal from Eagles kicker Jake Elliott.

McKee completed 6-of-16 pass attempts for 39 yards in his time on the field.

KENNY. PICKETT. TOUCHDOWN. 🎱@kennypickett10 with the first touchdown of the preseason for the @Eagles!

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— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) August 10, 2024

The Pittsburgh Steelers traded Pickett to the Eagles on March 16, after spending two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers (25 games, 24 starts). He was selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and it was certainly a tumultuous tenure.

Pickett threw for 4,474 yards (62.6% completion) with 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his 25 games as a Steeler, and while he wasn’t put in the best situation to succeed in the NFL, his lack of production was problematic. The Steelers couldn’t just run it back in 2024 with Pickett as the unquestioned starter. According to Pickett, it wasn’t as it seemed.

Regardless, Pickett never quite found his rhythm as a starter in the NFL — be it an offensive scheme, injuries or coaching decisions. In 11 games last season, he completed 201-of-324 pass attempts (62%) for 2,070 yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions — adding a rushing touchdown.

He completed 245-of-389 pass attempts (63%) for 2,404 yards with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions (adding 237 rushing yards and three more touchdowns on the ground) as a rookie. And while he did show flashes as a rookie, his progression — or lack thereof — last season was a problem. It felt like a decline.

But even through a disappointing tenure with the Steelers, Pickett reflected positively on his time in Pittsburgh.

“(I) gave everything I had there and loved all of my teammates and coaches that I came across — some absolutely great memories that I’ll take forever and lifelong friendships,” Pickett said following the trade. “And just talking to guys after it all went down, grateful that we had the time we had together.”

Pickett is happy to be in Philadelphia, after having grown up in the area (albeit New York Giants territory in Ocean Township, N.J.), and it just so happens that he’s been watching the Eagles since he was a kid. Pickett’s dad Kenneth grew up in the area, and that fandom rubbed off.

It’s, he said when arriving in Philadelphia, a good reset.

With 4,319 yards and 42 touchdowns, to just seven interceptions, on 334-of-497 passing attempts (67 percent) as a senior at Pitt, Pickett was one of the highest-rated passers in the nation, and he added 241 yards and five more touchdowns on the ground. He finished his Pitt career as the all-time leader in passing yards, completions, total offense, touchdowns responsible for and passing touchdowns. He’s thrown the most 300-yard passing games (16) and 400-yard passing games (five) and his 32 wins are the most as a Pitt starter.

Kenny Pickett completed 1,045-of-1,674 career passing attempts (just over 62 percent) for 12,303 yards and 81 touchdowns, to just 32 interceptions. He also added 809 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns in the run game in 52 career appearances (49 starts).

It’s a good start for Pickett in the preseason, but he still has work to do in the buildup to the regular season.