Steelers' Kenny Pickett Says He's 'Playing for Sure' vs. Titans amid Rib Injury

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett says he plans on playing in Thursday's game against the Tennessee Titans despite a rib injury.

"I'm playing for sure," Pickett told reporters Tuesday.

Pickett went down with a rib injury in the first half of Sunday's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars and did not return. He threw for 73 yards on 10-of-16 passing before exiting and was replaced by Mitchell Trubisky.

The Pitt product has been a disappointment in his second NFL season, throwing for 1,330 yards and five touchdowns against four interceptions. After a solid second half to his rookie campaign, many expected Pickett to take a leap but instead has shepherded one of the NFL's worst offenses.

The Steelers rank 31st in the NFL in total yards and are averaging just 16.1 points per game. It's entirely a credit to their defense that they've managed to post a 4-3 record, but that unit is not going to be able to prop up an anemic offense all season.

Pickett missing time was somewhat expected with the Steelers on a short week, but it appears he's gained clearance from doctors. The team needs to see what it has in him to make a decision whether he's the quarterback of the future, and the front office can't do that with him ailing on the sidelines.

Trubisky is a quality enough backup that the Steelers offense should not regress much if Pickett winds up aggravating the injury and needing to exit.