The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't exactly enter the 2023 NFL season to much fanfare despite a 9-8 finish last season. Many pundits believe that Kenny Pickett, the team's current QB1, isn't the long-term solution for the team at quarterback, regardless of how much goodwill he has within the community thanks to his lengthy stay in Pittsburgh. And on Sunday night, it became increasingly clear that the Steelers may have to look for an upgrade at the position sometime soon.

To begin the 2023 season, the Steelers suffered a dreadful 30-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, with Pickett unable to lead the offense to any sort of rhythm. Despite relying heavily on Pickett's arm throughout the night, the Steelers quarterback could not repay the system's trust in his ability, as he threw just one touchdown against two interceptions all the while averaging just around five yards per passes attempted — a dreadful number.

But at the very least, Kenny Pickett showed that he has the awareness necessary for him to acknowledge the part he played in the Steelers' mess of a performance during their season opener.

“I think it was more about us than them. I felt comfortable in what I was seeing and what they were doing. We just didn't execute like we needed to,” Pickett said, per Bob Labriola of Steelers.com.

This kind of performance will not be turning Steelers' fans heads anytime soon, especially regarding Kenny Pickett's status as the answer to the team's prayers at quarterback. There is still hope, of course, that Pickett turns things around and figures it out, as he's only 25 years old. Moreover, he showed to end the 2022 campaign that he can power through adversity and deliver for the Steelers with the heat of the playoff race being as palpable as it was.

But now comes the hard part of putting in the work — with head coach Mike Tomlin looking forward to helping his guys prepare much better for the future, the most pressing of which is a Week 2 clash against the Cleveland Browns.

“We've got to prepare them better. They've got to play better. That's just the reality of it,” Tomlin said.