Everyone on the Internet is weighing in on George Pickens’ social media actions, scrubbing his Instagram page of almost every photo, including every single one of him as a Steeler. It’s obvious he’s frustrated with how the Steelers last two games have gone, held to just three catches. And in Thursday night’s win over Tennessee, Pickens finished the game with negative yardage on two grabs.
Antonio Brown is the latest to offer his take about the situation. In a Friday tweet, he said the Steelers are “known for putting players against each other” and cited a couple examples, including his own, and ending by wondering if the team is doing the same between Pickens and WR Diontae Johnson.
He lists James Harrison vs LaMarr Woodley, himself versus Emmanuel Sanders, and a third example that is very much unclear. It’s probably Ryan Shazier versus Vince Williams, with Williams once admitting he was “pissed” when the team drafted Shazier, but it’s hard to get inside AB’s head.
In his own situation, the Steelers had the only downside of drafting the talented “Young Money” crew of Brown, Sanders, and Mike Wallace. Paying and keeping them. It wasn’t feasible to hold onto them all and ultimately, Brown was retained while Wallace and Sanders eventually hit free agency (though reportedly, the Steelers first offered a deal to Wallace before pivoting to Brown).
Ultimately, the Steelers were able to retain Harrison and Woodley on long-term deals while Shazier and Williams soon became best friends with the “Shake ‘n Bake” nickname.
Receivers naturally want the football and there’s always a competitive battle to be “the guy” in an offense. With Johnson out the first five games of the season, injured midway into Week One, Pickens enjoyed being the team’s clear top threat. And even when Johnson returned, Pickens still had a big game in Week Seven against the Los Angeles Rams, going for over 100 yards.
But his numbers have cratered over the past two weeks. One catch against Jacksonville, though it went for a touchdown. And two grabs against Tennessee, losing out on a third would-be touchdown, had he gotten his left foot inbounds. Likely, after the Jaguars’ game, Pickens was told he would get more involved in the offense. When that didn’t happen, his frustration reached a new level, one now playing out publicly on social media.
In a Pittsburgh offense struggling to score points and put up big numbers in the passing game, it’ll be difficult to consistently have Pickens and Johnson put up the numbers they expect. One week, one of them may have a big day. The next, it might be the other. It’s less of them being “pitted” together as it is how this offense is built and the struggles they’re going through. Pickens is also adjusting to getting extra attention as a receiver. From double-coverage to DBs trying to prod him, it’s a different feel compared to when he was a relatively unknown rookie when Johnson was regarded as the team’s top target. Now, defenses talk about Pickens first and Johnson second.
Pickens will have the weekend to get away from the facility and clear his head. Pittsburgh will hold its next practice Monday where Pickens (if he speaks to the media) and his teammates will be asked about the situation.
