As former USC wide receiver Jordan Addison navigates the NFL combine, he is also advocating for the possibility of reuniting with his former Pitt teammate and Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett in the NFL.
Addison, who transferred to USC in May 2022 after two seasons at Pitt, told reporters in Indianapolis that it would be “good” to reconnect with Pickett, urging the rising second-year signal-caller to come after his talents in the upcoming draft in April.
“That’d be real cool,” Addison said of potentially playing with Pickett. “Come [Pittsburgh] get me. That’ll help the transition a lot. Just having your former quarterback, you already got a relationship, No. 1, and then that trust factor. So with him, once you’re running your routes, he’s trusting you to be at a certain spot at the right time.”
Pickett has also not shied away from the two reuniting in the Steel City. In January, the 2022 first-rounder appeared on teammate Cam Heyward’s Not Just Football podcast and shared that he and Addison had previously discussed the possibility, referring to it as a dream.
“…Especially for a quarterback and receiver, that kind of dynamic, especially given how well we played together,” Pickett said on the show.
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In 2022, Addison recorded 59 receptions for 875 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 14.8 yards per catch. The year prior, the ’21 Fred Biletnikoff Award winner posted 1,593 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns.
If the duo reunites, it will continue a popular trend of NFL teams reconnecting former quarterbacks to college teammates. The most notable franchises to do so include the Bengals with former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase as well as the Eagles with former Alabama stars Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith.