Much of the talk before and after the NFL Draft was about Kenny Pickett’s hand size and whether it will affect his performance on the field.
Despite his hands measuring in at 8 5/8 inches during his pro day, the Pittsburgh Steelers ultimately overlooked those concerns and drafted Pickett with the 20th pick of the first round.
Many across the NFL world have said they think the hoopla around Pickett’s hand size is a little silly, including Steelers’ coach Mike Tomlin. Steelers’ defensive tackle Cam Heyward has now joined that list. In a new episode of his podcast Not Just Football, the Pro Bowl tackle defended Pickett, while also poking some fun at his expense.
“I think it got blown out of proportion and then I just kind of ran with it,” Heyward said, via SteelersDepot.com. “You know, why can’t I call my rookie quarterback ‘Burger King Hands’? He will be on the show later on and I will be giving him a hard time then, but, man, the dude can still play.”
Heyward added that his locker is located right next to Pickett’s at the team’s training facility — meaning he will have a ton of time to chop it up with Pickett during the offseason. Heyward admits he can give people a hard time, but claims that Pickett is still able to “whip the ball.”
“I talk a good game and I like to give people a hard time, but I won’t say his hands were really small or anything,” Hayward said. “Like he’s got average-size hands, and I didn’t think anything of it. He was able to throw the ball, still able to whip it around, and he’s got the ball in his hands for a reason. He was able to do it in college.”
Even though Pickett is the new gunslinger in the steel city, Heyward mentions that the former Pitt QB will still have to beat out Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph to become the QB1 in Pittsburgh.
“[H]e’s got a battle for himself and his hands are gonna be the least of his worries,” Heyward said. “Because Mitch and Mason are gonna make it tough on him.”
[Not Just Football on Apple Podcasts/Steelers Depot/Pro Football Talk]
