Last year the Buffalo Bills lost to Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Highmark Stadium. This year the Bills were expecting to see Mitch Trubisky at quarterback for the rematch. But Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin flipped the script when he benched Trubisky at halftime against the Jets last weekend, and proceeded to name rookie Kenny Pickett as this weekend’s starter.
So it’s no surprise that Bills head coach Sean McDermott fielded questions about Trubisky during his Wednesday press conference, especially considering how the former No. 2 overall pick served as Buffalo’s No. 2 QB in 2021. In light of Trubisky losing his starting job, McDermott seemed to go out of his way to send good vibes Trubisky’s way, saying:
“We’re better because Mitch was a Buffalo Bill last year and he’s a great person and a great teammate — was a great teammate and we wish the best for him,” said McDermott.
Sean McDermott’s Prediction for Mitch Trubisky Came True
Indeed, the Bills wanted to retain Trubisky as Josh Allen’s backup, but recognized that wasn’t realistic. “I know Mitch Trubisky is going to go be a starter somewhere in 2022,” said McDermott at the NFL Combine in March.
That’s exactly what happened. The following month, Trubisky signed a two-year contract with the Steelers, who gave him the inside track to the starting job, ahead of veteran backup Mason Rudolph and rookie Kenny Pickett, who was drafted in the first round, six weeks after Trubisky arrived in free agency.
But Trubisky and the Steelers offense struggled mightily through the first three games of the regular season, by which time Trubisky was “on thin ice” in terms of keep his job. And after he went 7 of 13 for 84 yards with an interception in the first half against the Jets, Tomlin called on Pickett to try to give the team a “spark.”
Pickett did give the team a spark, rushing for two touchdowns and setting two NFL records while bringing the Steelers back from a 10-6 halftime deficit. But in the end, Pickett threw three interceptions and the Steelers defense permitted New York to score 14 points in the fourth quarter, allowing the Jets to escape with a 24-20 win.
Questions About ‘Intel’ for Both the Steelers and Bills
And while Pickett will be the one throwing the passes on Sunday in Buffalo, Trubisky could possibly provide intel to Pittsburgh’s defensive coaches based on his knowledge of Buffalo’s offense. Not unlike how ex-Steelers receiver Jacquarii Roberson might help Buffalo’s defensive coaches, having signed with the Bills on Wednesday.
“I know he’s not going to start, but do you have to tweak anything knowing that (Trubisky) has a good handle on the offensive system here?” That was one of the questions McDermott fielded about Trubisky on Wednesday.
“We’re aware of it. We have a lot of respect for Mitch,” said McDermott, who spoke of Trubisky being a “class” individual while trying to avoid answering the question.
As for his stats, Trubisky enters this new phase of his Steelers career with a 1-3 record as a starter. He completed 69 of 116 passes (59.5%) with two touchdowns and two interceptions, good for a 73.7 passer rating — lower than the 87.2 rating he produced during his time as quarterback for the Chicago Bears.
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Bills Head Coach Has Message for Steelers QB Mitch Trubisky