In a week where the Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t coming off a game, not having played since last Thursday, WR George Pickens has dominated the team’s news cycle. After clearly being frustrated during and after the team’s 20-16 win over the Tennessee Titans, most of the media’s questions have revolved around Pickens and his situation with the team.
Across the board, players and coaches have downplayed the story. Mike Tomlin called it “reality TV” and essentially compared the media to ambulance chasers. QB Kenny Pickett said Pickens is just competitive and wants to help the team win. And speaking to reporters Thursday, OC Matt Canada says his relationship with Pickens is healthy and there’s no tension between the two.
“Me and George get along great,” Canada said via 93.7 The Fan. “I think George loves football. He wants to play. He wants to win. I talked to George after every series. He was happy we were playing well, wanting to win. Obviously, he’s a super talent. He wants the ball. Everyone who plays skill positions wants the ball.”
Pickens hasn’t seen much of the football the last two games. After posting back-to-back 100-yard performances in Week 5 and 7 wins over the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Rams, respectively, Pickens has just three catches for 21 yards the last two weeks. He endured an especially frustrating performance versus the Titans, ending the night with two grabs for negative yardage and missing out on a touchdown, unable to get his left foot inbounds despite having ample room to do so.
Most Steelers fans know what happened afterwards. He scrubbed his social media page, posted cryptic messages, and conveyed frustration with his situation. Speaking with reporters yesterday, Pickens said he wasn’t frustrated and his Instagram activity had nothing to do with the team, though it’s hard to find anyone who believes him.
Still, as Canada said, every receiver wants the football. And Pickens is only 22 and going through new adversity this season, dealing with more attention and defensive backs trying to get into his head. There are lessons for Pickens to learn but so long as the Steelers keep winning, the team will be able to brush aside these stories. And Pickens deserves grace and the chance to learn and grow. He’s certainly shown he’s willing to do the little things to help his team win, getting involved as a blocker in the run game. But a couple of big plays Sunday against the Green Bay Packers would go a long way to smoothing any concerns over.
