Kenny Pickett threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Vaughns with 3 seconds to play and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Seattle Seahawks 32-25 on Saturday night in the preseason opener for both teams.
Pickett, Pittsburgh’s first-round pick in 2022, is competing with Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph to replace retired two-time Super Bowl winner Ben Roethlisberger as the Steelers starting quarterback.
Roethlisberger guided the franchise for 18 seasons and led the Steelers to three Super Bowl appearances.
Pickett, the former University of Pittsburgh standout, played the second half and finished 13 of 15 for 95 yards and two touchdowns.
Pickett was sacked, forcing a turnover on downs, but had a chance to win the game when Pittsburgh’s Mark Robinson sacked Seattle’s Drew Lock and forced a fumble on the next play.
Pickett responded with a five-play, 43-yard drive capped by his touchdown pass to Vaughns.
He received a loud ovation and chants of “Kenny, Kenny, Kenny” when he first took the field in the third quarter and before the eventual winning drive.
Pickett could certainly hear the appreciation from the fans.