Kenny Pickett Lauds Pitt HC Pat Narduzzi as Family

The 2018 Sun Bowl isn’t likely an experience that many people from Pitt look back on too fondly, but when Kenny Pickett was asked about his experience at a Super Bowl LIX media appearance, he viewed the experience positively.

Pickett, who was ending his first season as the full-time starter at Pitt, didn’t have his best game. He completed under 50% of his passes for 136 yards and no touchdowns — and the Panthers lost to Stanford, 14-13.

“We lost that game, I’m pretty sure, but I remember that was like my first bowl game experience,” Pickett said. “Doing that with a lot of my buddies that I roomed with was pretty cool.”

Adrian Broaddus of 600 ESPN El Paso asked about the Sun Bowl, but he also asked Pickett about his time with Pat Narduzzi. And Pickett, as he’s done his entire football career, had nothing but good things to say about his former head coach.

“Coach [Narduzzi] is like family to me, and he’ll be family forever,” Pickett said. “He puts so much into his players and into the team, and we ended up finishing my career with an ACC championship. It was our ultimate goal, and we did it. So, a lot of love for the guys at Pitt.”

Opening night: Super Bowl 🔁 Sun Bowl

I asked Eagles QB Kenny Pickett (Pitt ‘18) and Chiefs kicker Spencer Shrader (Notre Dame ‘23) what they remember about playing in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. @TonyTheTigerSB

More coming up on @600espnelpaso all week pic.twitter.com/MC0LDThZIu

— Adrian Broaddus (@AdrianBroaddus) February 4, 2025

Pickett went through a lot with Narduzzi, spending the better part of four seasons together as head coach and starting quarterback, and Narduzzi has mentioned how he knew Pickett was different.

“You just know,” Narduzzi said after Pickett was drafted. “He’s got the it. I’ll never forget sitting on the field, looking like this down at Max Browne when he’s got a dislocated shoulder up in Syracuse, New York. Looking down, I’m a strategist, I’m like, ‘Kenny Pickett’s gotta play.’ … I knew back when he was a freshman, I knew when I watched him on the scout field, we’ve known for a long time. Do you always have the parts around you, do you drop touchdowns, do you fall down?”

It didn’t work out for Pickett in Pittsburgh, at the professional level, at least, but he’s in New Orleans now for a reason — the Super Bowl.

Pickett is the backup in Philadelphia, working behind starter Jalen Hurts, but he’s served his role this season.

Pickett received a start for the Eagles against the Dallas Cowboys in the penultimate game of the regular season, in place of a concussed Hurts, and he was already dealing with a rib injury entering the matchup. According to Mike Florio of NBC Sports, Pickett took painkilling injections before the game and during halftime to stay in the game.

Eagles cornerback Darius Slay confirmed after the game that Pickett played through broken ribs, praising Pickett’s toughness.

Pickett took a couple of shots in the first half against the Cowboys, but a hard hit from Cowboys defensive end Micah Parsons right to the ribs midway through the third quarter left him lying on the turf. He left the game for a few plays and exited for the locker room.

He returned to the sideline late in the second half, cheering on his teammates as the Eagles secured a win and the NFC East title.

It was a tough break for Pickett, who toughed out some serious hits in the first half and produced at a high level. He completed 10-of-15 pass attempts for 145 yards and a touchdown, adding a touchdown on the ground.

He finished with 291 yards with two touchdowns and an interception on 25-of-42 pass attempts (59.5%). And he added a touchdown on the ground.

Pickett isn’t far off completing one of the greatest careers in Pitt football history either.

Pickett was one of the best quarterbacks in college football in 2021, completing 334-of-497 pass attempts (67%) for 4,319 yards with 42 touchdowns and seven interceptions — adding 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%) for 12,303 yards and 81 touchdowns, to just 32 interceptions, in 52 career appearances (49 starts). He also added 809 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns.

He led Pitt to its first ACC title in 2021, earning All-ACC, All-American and Heisman Trophy finalist honors. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing.

Kenny Pickett threw for 4,474 yards (62.6% completion) with 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his 25 games as a Pittsburgh Steeler.

Super Bowl LIX is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Caesers’ Superdome in New Orleans.