Kenny Pickett Throws Shade at Steelers, Praises Eagles—Further Proves Philly Runs Football in Pennsylvania

Say what you want about Kenny Pickett, but the man knows real football when he sees it—and it sure as hell isn’t in Pittsburgh.

After being sent packing from the Eagles to the Browns this offseason, Pickett didn’t hold back when reflecting on his brief time in Philly. And in doing so, he fired a sneaky (but delicious) shot at the franchise that drafted him—the Pittsburgh Steelers.

As someone who grew up surrounded by those towel-waving weirdos in South Central PA, let me just say this: Kenny Pickett might’ve earned himself some permanent love from Eagles Nation.

Firstly, Pickett praises the Philadelphia Eagles organization

Browns QB Kenny Pickett said year with Eagles showed him how things are supposed to be done. pic.twitter.com/1EoSMPR8UX

— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) May 28, 2025

Total money quote for Kenny Pickett here:

“I’m extremely grateful for my time in Philly,” Pickett said. “I think I was just shown how it was supposed to be done, really from the top down. When you get a chance to see what it’s supposed to look like on a day-to-day basis—not just on Sundays—I think it’ll pay dividends for me in the future.”

Now read that again and tell me he’s not airing out the Steelers. That’s a direct shot at how they run things in Pittsburgh, whether he meant it to be or not. You don’t say something like that unless your previous team was completely dysfunctional behind the scenes.

I mean, Pickett straight up admitted the Eagles gave him a blueprint for how a real NFL team operates—accountability, preparation, leadership. You know, all the things Mike Tomlin and the Steelers pretend to have, but clearly don’t.

Look, Pickett was never going to be a legend here. He was a backup, played in five games, threw for 291 yards, and tossed a couple touchdowns. His one start came against Dallas when Hurts was banged up. He even took the final kneel-downs in the Super Bowl. So yeah, he technically finished the job against Kansas City.

But what makes his recent comments even better is that he clearly got a taste of the winning culture—and loved it. You think anyone says this stuff after leaving Pittsburgh? Hell no. Players flee that franchise and never look back. It’s all smoke and mirrors over there.

The In-State “Rivalry” That Isn’t

Let’s be clear here: the Eagles and Steelers are not real rivals. Eagles fans care way more about the NFC East and winning Super Bowls, frankly. But if you grow up in South Central PA like me—where every other person is a delusional Steelers fan—you learn to despise them. They cling to old Super Bowls and act like they invented the sport.

So when Kenny Pickett, a literal former Steeler and Pitt product, comes out and praises the Eagles while low-key trashing Pittsburgh? That’s the kind of validation we live for.

And let’s not forget—Pickett already got some revenge last season (sort of). In the Battle of Pennsylvania, the Birds took a 27-13 dub over his old squad. That game ended with the Eagles absolutely draining the soul out of the Steelers defense with a 21-play, 88-yard, 10-minute death march to run out the clock. It was pure dominance.

A Message to Kenny Pickett: You’re One of Us (Kind Of)

Kenny, you’ll never be a Philly icon. But you know what? You didn’t have to be. You did your job, you respected the franchise, and you called out the frauds back west without even breaking a sweat.

We’ll be rooting for you in Cleveland. Just don’t let us catch you slacking if you ever play us again.

As for Steelers fans? Sorry, but one of your own just told the truth—and you can’t wave a towel hard enough to make that go away.

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