The Pittsburgh Steelers have made a surprising move by trading former first-round pick quarterback Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles. The trade comes after the Steelers finalized a deal with veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, who previously played for the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks.

According to a report from Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pickett's reaction to the Wilson trade played a significant role in his departure from the team. Dulac tweeted that the Steelers made the move because Pickett was handling the arrival of Wilson poorly. This decision also follows Pickett's behavior last season, where he refused to dress as the emergency third quarterback in a game against the Seahawks in Week 17.

ESPN's Adam Schefter further reported that Pickett had expressed a preference to move on from Pittsburgh after the trade. CBS Sports' Aditi Kinkhabwala shed light on Pickett's side of the story, stating that Pickett's desire to leave was not due to running away from competition. Instead, Pickett was allegedly given assurance by the Steelers that he would have an opportunity to succeed after two chaotic years, only to have that pledge reneged upon by the arrival of Wilson.

During his two seasons with the Steelers, Pickett started in 24 games and accumulated a record of 14 wins and 10 losses. In the previous season, he threw for 2,070 yards with an average of 6.4 yards per attempt. Pickett registered six touchdown passes and four interceptions in his 12 starts.

Selected as the 20th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Pickett initially showed promise after a successful college career at the University of Pittsburgh. However, his time with the Steelers has come to an end as he joins the Eagles as the backup to their starting quarterback, Jalen Hurts.

Meanwhile, Russell Wilson has signed a one-year deal with the Steelers, accepting the veteran minimum. Wilson's previous contract with the Broncos, worth $85 million over two years, was terminated, but it contained offset language.

The Steelers' decision to trade Pickett and acquire Wilson marks a significant shakeup in their quarterback positions. As the Eagles welcome Pickett to their roster, it remains to be seen how this trade will impact both teams as they prepare for the upcoming NFL season.