Officially the Steelers' starting QB, Mitch Trubisky looking forward to season opener

The depth chart released by Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin on Monday — and updated Tuesday — didn’t exactly come as a surprise to starting quarterback Mitch Trubisky.

Not just because Trubisky took almost all of the first-team reps in practice in training camp and started all three preseason games.

It also helped that Tomlin informed Trubisky and backups Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph of his decision sometime last week.

“We had a heads up,” Trubisky said Wednesday morning. “I was kind of anticipating it and excited for the opportunity. Now we prepare, get ready to go.”

Trubisky’s ascension to the starting role was the worst kept secret of the Steelers’ preseason. But with the pecking order finalized — Pickett is the No. 2 quarterback and Rudolph is No. 3 — the Steelers quarterbacks formally can settle into their assigned roles.

Related:

• Not used to being a backup, Kenny Pickett willing to do all he can for Steelers as QB2
• Mason Rudolph, on Steelers future: 'For now, I'm on this team' as No. 3 quarterback
• Dead last? Above average? Varied rankings for Steelers’ Mitch Trubisky among NFL starting QBs

For Trubisky, the start Sunday in the season opener at the Cincinnati Bengals will be his first since his final season with the Chicago Bears when they lost a wild-card playoff matchup against the New Orleans Saints. That happened in January 2021.

All six of his appearances last season with the Buffalo Bills came in relief of franchise quarterback Josh Allen.

“I don’t know about a rebirth, but it’s the next opportunity for me,” he said. “I’m always looking ahead and seeing what I can get better at. Right now, it’s the next opportunity for me, and I’m grateful to be in this situation with this team.”

Trubisky completed 70.6% of his passes in the preseason for 283 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 115.2 rating. That was good enough to fend off Pickett, the team’s first-round draft pick, and Rudolph, a fifth-year veteran and former backup to Ben Roethlisberger.

Pickett’s performance in the preseason — he completed 80.6% of his passes for 261 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and a 124.6 rating — was enough to elevate him to the No. 2 spot ahead of Rudolph.

But Trubisky insists he won’t open the season looking over his shoulder and wondering whether a bad series, half or game will lead to Pickett taking over the starting job.

Tim Benz:

• First Call: NFL.com's low rating for Mitch Trubisky; ex-Steelers WR retires; Heinz Field name-change gets bad poll results
• Tim Benz: How Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt thinks he can improve upon an award-winning season in 2022
• U mad, bro?: Fans rally around Mike Tomlin and Kedon Slovis, lash out about Pirates and ... craft beer?

“I’m not worried about that at all,” he said. “I’ll go about my business on a day-to-day basis and take care of what I can control.”

The best way for Trubisky to hold onto the job, of course, is to win games. He was 29-21 as a starter in Chicago and played in two postseason games. His experience will come in handy as the Steelers open the season against the defending AFC champion, then play the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns in a five-day span.

“There’s always a sense of urgency,” he said. “We’re preparing to win every single weekend. It doesn’t matter who is on our schedule. We want to play really well, and we want to win every game.”