Trade Sends Former Pitt QB Kenny Pickett Back To AFC North

Former Pitt quarterback and Heisman Finalist Kenny Pickett returns to the same division he began his pro career in.

On Monday, the Philadelphia Eagles traded Pickett to the Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round pick and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Adam Schefter reported.

The move marks the former first-round pick’s third team in four years after the Ocean Township, N.J. native spent one season with his childhood team in the Eagles.

Pickett, 26, won a Super Bowl Championship with the Eagles in February as he entered the game in the late stages, threw a pass and sealed the title with a final kneel-down.

In his lone season with Philadelphia, Pickett started one game against the Dallas Cowboys in which he complete 10-of-15 passes (66.7%) for 143 yards and one touchdown before leaving the game with an injury. In five appearances during the regular season, he completed 25-of-42 passes (59.5%) for 291 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Pickett started his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers before being traded after the 2023-24 season for a pair of draft picks. The Steelers selected Pickett 20th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft.

It was a tumultuous two-year tenure for Pickett in Pittsburgh as he battled injuries and struggled to replace the production of legendary franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger across 24 starts. In his rookie season, Pickett complete 63 percent of his passes for 2,404 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions. The following year, he connected on 62 percent of his passes for 2,070 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions.

Now, Pickett will return back to the AFC North and have an opportunity to compete for a starting job. Pickett is in the final year of his rookie contract and will have a fifth year option in 2026.

Pickett spent five seasons at Pitt as he grew into one of the top quarterbacks in the country by his fifth year.

In 2021, Pickett helped the Panthers to an 11-2 record and capture their first ACC Championship. He completed 67% of his passes for 4,319 yards and 42 touchdowns — both setting single-season program records — to only seven interceptions. He also added five rushing touchdowns, which brought his total to 47 on the year, another program single-season record.

Thanks to his outstanding 2021 campaign, Pickett was a Heisman finalist, All-American and won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Winner and ACC Player of the Year.

Across his Pitt career, Pickett became the all-time program leader in passing yards (12,303), pass completions (1,045), passing touchdowns (81), most 300-yard passing games (16) and most 400-yard passing games (five).