Kenny Pickett Bio
Kenneth Pickett (born June 6, 1998) is an American professional football quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers, winning the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award in 2021, and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. Pickett spent two seasons as the Steelers’ primary starter, helping lead the team to a playoff appearance in 2023. Due to inconsistent play, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he spent one season as a backup and was a member of the team that won Super Bowl LIX. He joined the Raiders in 2025.
Early Life and Background
Kenneth Pickett was born on June 6, 1998, in the Oakhurst section of Ocean Township, New Jersey. He grew up in a supportive household that encouraged athletics and attended Ocean Township High School, graduating in 2017. During his high school years, Pickett became a standout multi-sport athlete, throwing for 4,670 yards with 43 touchdowns while also rushing for 873 yards and 17 touchdowns as a quarterback.
As a junior, Pickett led the Ocean Township Spartans to the New Jersey Central Group III semifinal game and guided the team to a 9–2 record. In his senior year, 247Sports ranked him as the No. 23 overall high school football player in New Jersey. Although he originally committed to play college football at Temple University, he later changed his commitment to the University of Pittsburgh to pursue a stronger football environment.
Path to Professional Football
Pickett’s college career at Pittsburgh began slowly, as he spent most of his true freshman season in 2017 as a backup to Max Browne and Ben DiNucci. He earned his first career start in the Panthers’ final game of the season against the second-ranked Miami Hurricanes, completing 18 of 29 passes for 193 yards with a touchdown and rushing for 60 yards with two touchdowns in an upset victory. He finished his freshman year with 509 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
Pickett returned as Pittsburgh’s full-time starter in 2018 and started all 14 games, throwing for 1,969 yards, 12 touchdowns, and six interceptions. That season, he led the Panthers to their first-ever Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division Championship, a major milestone for the program. As he continued developing, his arm strength and command of the offense grew, setting the stage for one of the most decorated senior seasons in Pittsburgh history.
Kenny Pickett Career
Early Career and College Breakthrough (2017–2019)
Pickett played in nine games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, throwing for 2,408 yards with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Despite being eligible for a bowl game, the Panthers collectively opted out of postseason play. Using the NCAA’s extra year of eligibility, Pickett returned for the 2021 season, his true senior year, and delivered one of the best individual seasons in program history.
During the 2021 season, Pickett recorded 4,319 passing yards and 42 touchdowns, setting school records for single-season and career passing yards and touchdowns. He was named a first-team All-American, finished third in Heisman Trophy voting, and led Pittsburgh to the ACC Championship with an 11–2 record in games he started, the school’s best mark since 1976. Pickett graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and enrolled at the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business at Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Steelers Era (2022–2023)
Pickett was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, the highest the franchise had drafted a quarterback since selecting Ben Roethlisberger in 2004. The pick was announced by Steelers legend Franco Harris in one of his final public appearances with the team. With the starting job open following Roethlisberger’s retirement, Pickett began the season as the third-string quarterback behind Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph before quickly being elevated to the backup role.
Pickett made his NFL debut in the second half of a Week 4 loss to the New York Jets, completing 10 of 13 passes for 120 yards while rushing for two touchdowns. He was officially named the starter by head coach Mike Tomlin on October 4, and his first career start came against the Buffalo Bills. Pickett threw his first touchdown pass to running back Najee Harris against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but exited that game with a concussion. Later in the season, he authored two dramatic game-winning touchdown drives in the final minute against the Las Vegas Raiders and the Baltimore Ravens, becoming the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to accomplish that feat in back-to-back weeks.
Pickett finished his rookie season with 2,404 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and nine interceptions across 12 starts. In 2023, injuries hampered his second year, as he dealt with bone bruises, a rib injury, and a high ankle sprain that required surgery. He finished the 2023 regular season with 2,070 passing yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions, while the Steelers earned a playoff berth. Mason Rudolph started the team’s Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills after Pickett was listed as active but remained a backup.
Philadelphia Eagles Era (2024)
Following the Steelers’ signing of Russell Wilson in the 2024 offseason, Pickett requested a trade and was dealt to the Philadelphia Eagles on March 16, 2024, along with a 2024 fourth-round pick. In Philadelphia, Pickett served as the primary backup to Jalen Hurts and appeared in several games throughout the season. He earned his first Eagles start in Week 17 against the Dallas Cowboys, completing 10 of 15 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for a score in a 41–7 victory.
Pickett also saw action in the NFC Championship Game against the Washington Commanders, replacing Hurts briefly to kneel out the clock in a 55–23 win. He was a member of the Eagles roster that defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, earning his first Super Bowl championship. In the game, Pickett entered at quarterback to hand off the ball, attempted one pass, and finished the contest by kneeling to close out the 40–22 victory.
Las Vegas Raiders Era (2025–Present)
On August 25, 2025, Pickett was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft. He entered the 2025 NFL season as the backup to veteran quarterback Geno Smith. After Smith exited a Week 14 loss to the Denver Broncos with a shoulder injury, Pickett entered the game and completed 8 of 11 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. He was named the starter for the following week’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles but finished 15 of 25 for 64 yards with one interception while being sacked four times in a 31–0 loss. Smith returned to the starting role for Week 16.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Pickett’s signature achievements, he became the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to throw a game-winning touchdown in the final minute of the fourth quarter in two consecutive games. He also holds Pittsburgh school records for single-season and career passing yards and touchdowns, and his game ball from the 2022 win over the Raiders was placed on display in the Professional Football Hall of Fame. In February 2025, Pickett won Super Bowl LIX with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kenny Pickett Career Awards
College and Professional Honors
Kenny Pickett has earned several major honors across his football career. During his senior season at Pittsburgh, he was named a first-team All-American, ACC Player of the Year, ACC Offensive Player of the Year, and first-team All-ACC. He also won the prestigious Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award in 2021, given to the top senior quarterback in college football, and was named the men’s ACC Athlete of the Year across all sports for 2022. At the professional level, Pickett is a Super Bowl champion, having been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles team that defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
Kenny Pickett Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Kenny Pickett married Amy Paternoster, a former women’s soccer player at Princeton University, on June 24, 2023. His sister, Alex Pickett, played collegiate soccer at East Stroudsburg University and went on to become the head coach of the Seton Hill University women’s soccer program in 2019. The Pickett family has a strong athletic background, with both Kenny and Alex excelling in competitive sports from a young age.
From 2022 to 2024, Pickett resided in Cranberry, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He sold his home in Cranberry following his trade to the Philadelphia Eagles in early 2024. The couple continues to be recognized as a high-profile pair within NFL circles, reflecting the stability Pickett has maintained throughout a turbulent early professional career.
2025 Season Performance
Kenny Pickett’s 2025 NFL campaign began with a trade to the Las Vegas Raiders on August 25, 2025, when he was acquired from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a 2026 fifth-round pick. He entered training camp as part of a four-way competition for Cleveland’s starting role before a hamstring injury limited his participation, ultimately leading to his release to Las Vegas. With the Raiders, Pickett spent most of the regular season operating as the backup to Geno Smith.
Pickett’s most visible moment of the 2025 season came in Week 14, when he replaced an injured Smith against the Denver Broncos and completed 8 of 11 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. That performance earned him the starting nod the following week against his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, though the Raiders suffered a 31–0 defeat in which Pickett was intercepted once and sacked four times. Smith returned as the starter for Week 16, signaling that Pickett’s role for the remainder of the season would primarily be as a reserve.
Looking ahead, Pickett’s outlook with the Raiders remains focused on development and opportunity. His blend of starting experience with the Steelers, a Super Bowl championship with the Eagles, and recent game action in Las Vegas provides a strong foundation for future competition. The 2026 offseason will be a critical period for Pickett as he seeks to establish himself as a long-term answer at the quarterback position.