Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett is always ready to work

Kenny Pickett spent even the last few days before heading to his first NFL training camp working on his game.

The rookie first-round pick is competing to succeed Ben Roethlisberger as the starting quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He won’t be outworked.

“That was instilled in me at a young age with my dad and I just kind of kept that work ethic and preparation throughout my college career and now into my pro career,” Pickett said on the AP Pro Football Podcast.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin already praised Pickett’s work ethic in May, saying: “He’s not a clockpuncher. He’s always trying to get better.”

Pickett trained throughout the offseason with his personal quarterbacks coach Tony Racioppi and the team at TEST Football Academy in Martinsville, New Jersey, located less than an hour from his hometown of Oakhurst.

They prepared the former Pitt star for the NFL combine and he ended up being the first quarterback selected in the draft at No. 20 overall.

“I’ve been with Tony for six years now, so he’ll be my guy throughout my career.” Pickett said. “Then, once I met the guys at TEST, went through their speed training, the conditioning and the combine prep, that went so great. My numbers were drastically improved from when I got done with the season to where I finished up so that’ll be my team for the rest of my career.”

Racioppi was a twoyear starting quarterback at Rowan University and played football in Europe and the Arena League. He had free agent tryouts in the NFL with the Jets and Dolphins, and has interned for Jaguars as an offensive assistant for two seasons.

“Kenny is prepared to be an outstanding quarterback at the NFL level,” Racioppi said. “His ability to anticipate throws, throw with elite accuracy, change tempos of the ball while being able to drive the football when needed and make plays with his feet are what the NFL is now. His intangibles are off the charts as a teammate, leader and winner. Work ethic, mental and physical and desire to be great are his trademarks. It’s been an amazing six years plus last six months of NFL draft prep of us training together and looking forward to many more ahead.”