George Pickens has been criticized as moody and volatile, unwilling to listen to those around him. But former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden painted a different picture, citing conversations with cousin and ex-Steeler Patrick Peterson that highlighted Pickens ability to be mentored.
“And I can talk about what my cousin Patrick Peterson said about George Pickens when he was there, is he had real good dialogue with George Pickens,” McFadden told 93.7 The Fan Friday. “And he said George Pickens was the person that wanted to learn.”
Peterson and Pickens were teammates for the 2023 season, the lone year Peterson was a Steeler before being cut. That season was similar to Pickens’ other ones. A bunch of big plays and spectacular catches but plenty of drama and controversy. None bigger than his loafing while blocking on the goal line in a loss to the Indianapolis Colts followed by a questionable defense to the media. The situation got so intense that Mike Tomlin called a rare mid-week press conference to address concerns and answer questions.
It’s not clear if Pickens was ever punished by the team but he reportedly racked up over $200,000 in fines last year, many of which came via the team. Publicly, he accrued more than $90,000 in fines this season that included ones for taunting and unsportsmanlike conduct calls.
While some are ready to give up on Pickens turning things around, McFadden has faith. He blames a lack of veteran wideouts when Pickens was drafted that prevented him being shown the way from the get-go.
“We had monumental leadership pieces in the locker room that were showing young guys what it meant to be Steelers,” McFadden said of his playing days, referring to Hines Ward, Joey Porter Sr., and others. “To your point about George Pickens, when he came into the building, who did he have to learn from?”
Rostered when Pickens was drafted in 2022 were Diontae Johnson, Miles Boykin, Gunner Olszewski, and Steven Sims while fellow rookie Calvin Austin III was on injured reserve. A young room without big playoff resumes. Pittsburgh added veterans in Allen Robinson II for 2023 and Van Jefferson in 2024, neither of whom seemed to impact Pickens’ mentality. Reportedly, he’s also heard from former NFL wide receivers like Chad Johnson to offer wisdom.
“If you telling me Diontae Johnson guided him, then good luck,” McFadden said.
Johnson certainly wasn’t an ideal mentor and had his own dissatisfaction in the locker room, traded ostensibly for culture reasons as his career fell apart this season.
At this point, whether Pickens grows up in the manner the team needs him to is up to him. Whatever message needed to be sent and how it needed to be conveyed has likely already been done. Pickens is aware of the standard and what the team expects from him. It’s his decision to change or stay the same. If he chooses the latter, the one thing that could change is his location out of Pittsburgh.
