Kenny Pickett

Classroom

Pickett has managed to remain committed to his studies - even as he excelled each year on the field. He received his bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Pittsburgh and is enrolled in the Katz Graduate School of Business for his fifth year on campus.

Character

Pickett is now a two-time team captain for the Panthers.

He has been lauded for his approach to the new name, image, and likeness legislation, as he has sought out opportunities for his teammates. Pickett has also participated with initiatives of the Boys and Girls Club.

Community

Pickett has also been actively involved in multiple community endeavors.

He has participated with the Dollar Energy Fund’s ‘Cool Down for Warmth,’ which was aimed at building awareness of the many families who are without heat during the winter. Pickett worked to raise funds for utility assistance grants while being inside of a house constructed of ice blocks to experience it.

With the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Pickett helped host children at the football facility for tours and lunches in the team cafeteria. Helping ‘Quench the Thirst,’ he donated his football student-athlete per diem so that city youth football teams would have resources to purchase bottled water for practices and games.

Pickett has also participated on behalf of the Voting Matters campaign, where he helped promote voter registration, education, and participation in the Pitt community.

Competition

Pickett is entering his fourth season as the Panthers’ starting QB and is on the verge of becoming the program’s most prolific player at the position. He ranks first in rushing yards (16) and second in both passing yards (8,923) and yards of total offense (9,606) all-time at Pitt.

Kenny Pickett’s elite play is garnering national accolades and Heisman mention. Through Week 5 of the season, he is the highest-graded Power Five quarterback according to Pro Football Focus (92.5). In five games, he has completed 72% of his passes (121 of 168) for 1,731 yards with 19 touchdowns and one interception. He recently broke Dan Marino’s 40-year-old record for most TD passes over a three-game span with 15, eclipsing Marino’s 13 in 1981. Pickett is piloting the first offense in school history to score more than 40 points in five consecutive games. The Panthers are averaging 52.4 points on the season.

Heading into this season, Pickett was named to the Maxwell Award, Manning Award, and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch Lists.