Quarterbacks Kenny Pickett, Sam Howell Traded Three Times Within Four NFL Seasons

Two former UBC Thunderbirds football players, Giovanni Manu and Theo Benedet, have made NFL 53-man rosters with the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears respectively, potentially becoming only the fourth and fifth UBC players to participate in an NFL regular-season game. Meanwhile, quarterbacks Sam Howell and Kenny Pickett have made NFL history for an unfortunate reason: they are the first players in at least 30 years to be traded three times within their first four NFL seasons. Howell, drafted by the Washington Commanders in 2022, has since been traded to the Seahawks, Vikings, and Eagles, while Pickett, a first-round pick of the Steelers in 2022, has been traded to the Eagles, Browns, and Raiders. Both players have struggled to find a long-term fit, with Howell starting 17 games for Washington and Pickett backing up the Eagles' Super Bowl-winning quarterback. Their frequent trades highlight the volatility and challenges faced by young NFL quarterbacks trying to establish themselves. These moves contrast with Manu and Benedet's milestone achievements as offensive linemen from a Canadian university making NFL rosters.