Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mitch Trubisky was pressed into action Sunday after starter Kenny Pickett went down with an injury, and Twitter immediately went wild with memes.
The crazy memes stopped, however, as Trubisky looked very sharp in leading the Steelers to a 20-18 upset of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Pickett replaced Trubisky midway through Pittsburgh’s Week 4 game, and started again last week. Steelers fans widely applauded the change on social media at the time. But Sunday against the Bucs, Pickett struggled, completing 11-of-18 passes for only 67 yards.
Then in the third quarter, Pickett took a hard hit on a pass play, and underwent evaluation for a concussion.
That opened the door for Trubisky.
Kenny Pickett is headed to the locker room after taking this hit.
Mitchell Trubisky is in the game at QB. pic.twitter.com/c38HXG442e
— PFF PIT Steelers (@PFF_Steelers) October 16, 2022
NFL fans rushed to Twitter to fire off their Trubisky memes.
“Mitch Trubisky now in the game for the Steelers” pic.twitter.com/Jt68E8JRdK
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) October 16, 2022
Visual representation of what it’s like to start the game with Kenny Pickett at QB and finishing it with Mitch Trubisky pic.twitter.com/CTX5TJDh6B
— Vince Peluso (@VPeluso8) October 16, 2022
Steelers fans seeing Kenny Pickett go to Medical tent & Trubisky in vs Bucs: pic.twitter.com/4f06T9v9rC
— Danny Armstrong (@DArmstrong44) October 16, 2022
But a funny thing happened to all the Trubisky haters — the Steelers QB shut up everyone with his play. After his first two series ended in punts, Trubisky led an eight-play, 71-yard touchdown drive early in the fourth quarter that put the Steelers up 20-12.
Even more impressive, after the Bucs scored a touchdown to cut the deficit to 20-18, Trubisky led the Steelers on a clock-killing drive that included 26- and 17-yard completions to Chase Claypool. Pittsburgh held on to run its record to 2-4.
Trubisky’s final line looked great: 9 completions on 12 passing attempts for 144 yards and one touchdown. Many fans gave him props for a great performance.
Mitch Trubisky rn. pic.twitter.com/rXOUuNYaBf
— DJszn(1-4) (@PutridLobster) October 16, 2022
Steelers fans y’all owe Mitch Trubisky one hell of an apology right now.
Saves the game by diving on a terrible snap then delivers a STRIKE on 3rd and 16 with the game on the line.
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) October 16, 2022
Mitch Trubisky replacing Kenny Pickett: 9/12 144 yards, 1 TD, multiple third and long conversions.
Credit to him. What a showing off the bench. #Steelers
— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) October 16, 2022
Easily the best Mitch Trubisky's looked all season.
Easier to be aggressive when you've got nothing to lose.
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) October 16, 2022