The George Pickens storyline has been beaten to death this week. I understand that, and I apologize for contributing to the vast waves of banter surrounding him. But I think some voices and perspectives still ought to be shared, and I’m not sure many are better qualified to speak to the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver’s mindset right now than Chad Ochocinco.
The former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver went through a lot of the same things Pickens is going through, including playing in a struggling offense. Including media scrutiny over what is sometimes just a personal way of expressing himself that isn’t always easy to relate to. As part of his Nightcap podcast with Shannon Sharpe, he included a direct address to Pickens that I think is worth digesting.
George, I know you’re gonna see this. Baby, hold your head. I know how you’re feeling. I know what you’re going through. I’m one of the few that can empathize with how you’re feeling because I played the position. I know what it’s like to be struggling. I know what it’s like to be losing and knowing I could contribute, knowing I can help, and not getting the opportunities you may feel you deserve. Keep playing, man. Keep playing. When buddy [is] running, whether it’s Najee [Harris] or [Jaylen Warren], man, you got to block, boy. Just block. Your opportunities are gonna come, man. I’m telling you, there’s better days out here, man. Lock in, baby.
Pickens is under fire this week for his lack of effort blocking for Warren on a running play in the first quarter of last Saturday’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The defender he was supposed to block was able to get a clean shot at Warren while he was already engaged with another tackler, taking another hit he shouldn’t have had to, had his teammate been doing his job.
I haven’t seen anybody try to defend Pickens’ performance on that play, at least aside from himself. I haven’t seen anybody who has bought his explanation for it, arguing that he was trying to avoid an injury, and saying that only people who’ve never played are criticizing it.
Well, Ochocinco and Sharpe have played the game at the highest level. They are only the latest former players to condemn him for both his effort and his explanation. Sharpe was much harder on him. But Ochocinco, I think, can relate to Pickens’ situation much better.
An 11-year veteran who spent a decade in Cincinnati, Ochocinco recorded 766 catches for 11,059 yards with 67 touchdowns. His first 1,000-yard season came in his second year, and he kept up that pace for another five, making six Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams for mostly some pretty bad teams. They only had one winning record in that six-year span.
I do think there is a case to be made that Pickens isn’t being fully understood on his terms. I frankly don’t think he means everything he says, much of it a defense mechanism. That’s part of the maturing head coach Mike Tomlin has talked about him needing.
He’s a young man who is struggling to learn how to deal with his circumstances, which are not what he thought they would be. None of that excuses his past behavior, whether it’s his body language, his poor effort, or his comments to the media. But he can still dictate how his story is written from this point forward. The pen is in his hands. What kind of tale does he want to be told about his career when he retires?
