The life of an NFL quarterback is a painful one, at least for three hours every Sunday. Rookie quarterbacks get their “welcome to the NFL” moment every year, and there's usually one hit they remember most. For Pittsburgh Steelers QB Kenny Pickett, that would be a crushing blow from New York Jets' defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.

Chris Long asked Kenny Pickett what was the hardest hit he took as a rookie. Without hesitation, Pickett had his answer. “Oh, Quinnen Williams, easy answer. Against the Jets, I came in, and I think they ran a stunt or something. He came and got me right under the chin,” Pickett said.

Pickett said this was different from those those concussion-like hits where his head slams into the ground. This was the hardest hit he's taken standing in the pocket. “That's a big dude coming at you at full speed.”

That Week 4 game against the Jets was actually Pickett's NFL debut. He came in during the middle of the game to replace Mitchell Trubisky. He finished the contest 10-13 with 120 yards. Unfortunately, all three of those incompletions were interceptions, and none of the completions were touchdowns. However, he did score twice with his legs, and the Steelers narrowly lost at the end of the fourth quarter.

Quinnen Williams is in fact “a big dude.” The former No. 3 pick is 6-3, 303 lbs, and he's one of the best defensive tackles in the game. Williams just signed his big contract extension, a 4-year deal worth $96 million. The big fella recorded a ridiculous 12 sacks from the interior of the defensive line last year, so he earned it.

Pickett ended up starting 12 games, and threw for 2400 yards and seven touchdowns. The Steelers finished third in the AFC North at 9-8.