When great athletes from two different sports come together in one place, it’s exciting and humble to see different worlds collide. Recently, the same thing happened when the G.O.A.T. of the NHL, Wayne Gretzky, got together with Kenny Pickett and his father, Ken Pickett.
Kenny Pickett the Pittsburgh Steelers’ QB in the NFL was picked by the team during the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. Pickett is following in his father, Ken Pickett’s steps, who played as a linebacker for the Red Raiders at Shippensburg University from 1989-1991. Recently, Wayne Gretzky and the Pickett duo came together to celebrate a special occasion.
Wayne Gretzky plays a round of gold with the Picketts
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Gretzky took to Instagram to share a story of the trio on the golf course. It was senior Pickett’s birthday today, and the trio played a round of golf to celebrate the occasion. Wayne Gretzky posted a photo of the three of them, and wrote, “Great day golfing with Steelers QB Kenny Pickett and his dad, Ken. Happy birthday, Ken!” In the picture, the men are seen with their hands around each others’ shoulders, smiling after a good game of golf.
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As a linebacker for the Red Raiders, Ken Pickett made a record of 455 tackles in a single season. His son, Kenny Pickett had a monumental hand in leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to the ACC Coastal Division Championship in his debut season as the primary starter. In his debut against the New York Jets in 2022, Kenny Pickett made 10 of 13 passes for 120 yards and scored twice on the ground.
Pickett’s father had a big hand in his becoming a football player, a sentiment Gretzky could resonate with. Walter Gretzky was the inspiration and role model who pushed his son to pursue his dreams and make them real. Incidentally, he was also the one who encouraged The Great One to learn golf. Walter Gretzky’s idea was, since all hockey players play golf, his son should know its tricks and tips too.
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It seems like the trio of Wayne Gretzky, Kenny Pickett, and Ken Pickett had a great time playing golf together. It was certainly a glorious way to celebrate the veteran football player’s birthday. Who wouldn’t want to play a few rounds of golf with the great Wayne Gretzky?