The Las Vegas Raiders made it official Friday, naming backup Kenny Pickett the starting quarterback for their Sunday game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Pickett played for the Super Bowl champion Eagles in 2024, backing up Jalen Hurts and starting one game, a 41-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17.
Regular starter Geno Smith has been nursing a right shoulder injury and couldn’t practice this week after sustaining the injury in the Raiders’ 24-17 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
Pickett, 27, received first-team reps in practice this week after relieving Smith in the Broncos game, going 8 of 11 for 97 yards with a touchdown pass.
The Raiders (2-11) acquired Pickett from the Browns after training camp was completed in August. Cleveland previously acquired Pickett from the Eagles but ran out of room at the position.
Pickett has completed 481 of 769 passes (62.5%) for 4,870 yards, 16 TDs and 14 picks in 33 games (25 starts) for the Pittsburgh Steelers (2022-23), Eagles (2024) and Raiders. He is 15-10 as a starter.
The Steelers selected him 20th overall in the 2022 draft out of the University of Pittsburgh.
The Raiders have lost seven straight heading into Sunday against the Eagles (8-5).
