Steelers great Ike Taylor says Kenny Pickett has ‘Tom Brady qualities’

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Nick Pickett found creative ways to help the Pittsburgh Steelers win games. His performance is particularly effective throughout. So much so that he’s been compared dizzyingly to an all-time great quarterback who was a former franchise star.

Two-time Super Bowl champion Ike Taylor even called Pickett’s reliability in clutch situations Tom Brady-esque on his “Bleav in Steelers” podcast, saying:

“To me, Kenny is the perfect fit for the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Taylor said. “They can say what they want about what a typical quarterback should look like and all the characteristics they need to have. Man, give me Tom Brady traits! I’m not saying Kenny and Tom are close; It’s saying Kenny and Tom are close. I’m just saying one characteristic, I know with three and a half to two minutes left, the game is very close, Kenny is going to end the game. “He’s going to put in that effort, he’s going to be there Get some results in the standings. “

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Are Ike Taylor’s Kenny Pickett and Tom Brady comparisons too early?

Taylor must differentiate between Pickett and Brady to maintain his credibility. However, when looking at Pickett’s performance in his two seasons as a pro, his praise may have some credibility.

Take this year as an example. The Steelers trailed in all but one fourth quarter, but they ended up winning. Pickett’s buzzer-beating and game-winning performance speaks for itself. In Week 8, he completed 11 carries for 92 yards in 5 minutes, 11 seconds to lead and defeat the Tennessee Titans.

Before that, he had 10 carries for 80 yards in the fourth quarter to break a tie with the Los Angeles Rams. He then hit his stride with a final 10-play drive that lasted 5 minutes, 28 seconds to set the stage for Week 6.

Pittsburgh trailed the Baltimore Ravens 10-3 in Week 4 but scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to mark their biggest win of the season. Pickett was solid throughout, and his clutch play made up for some inconsistencies in his game that he has yet to overcome as a second-year pro.

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How Pickett draws on Brady’s work

Brady is a one-of-a-kind talent, and there’s really no way to compete with him (unless you’re Patrick Mahomes). He started his career winning championships and had key genes that few before or after him could match.

However, Brady’s arm was questioned early on. That feeling stayed with him even later in his career, when he was ranked alongside contemporaries like Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger.

However, Brady was able to establish himself in the way Pickett sought to improve. Brady became the most reliable third base switch player of his career. He won 7 championships by moving the chain and maintaining drive.

Pickett has been eager to improve on third downs and in controllable situations. He’s not satisfied with his ability to keep the offense on the field and would benefit greatly from watching Brady film or even being exposed to the legend.

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Ike Taylor saw great quarterbacks during 12 years with Steelers

Taylor played for the Steelers from 2003 to 2014 and witnessed Ben Roethlisberger’s greatness in clutch situations. He also guarded some of the most reliable quarterbacks in the league at the time, including Brees and Kurt Warner, among others.

He knows better than most what a game-changing quarterback looks like. He solidified his praise for Pickett, calling him the guy for the Steelers moving forward. His feelings echo the assessment team great Terry Bradshaw has made over the past few weeks.

We haven’t seen the best of Pickett yet. Barring injury, he has plenty of time to further develop his game and lead the Steelers to championship contention. As it stands, his late-game reliability is rare and something the team is lucky to have.