In one comment, Steelers owner Art Rooney II sounded both optimistic and pessimistic about WR George Pickens’ future in Pittsburgh. Equally big on talent as he is headache, Rooney weighed in on Pickens after another year full of big plays and bigger controversy.
Speaking with reporters during his annual post-season media tour, Rooney said he hopes the team can get the most out of Pickens while acknowledging it’s anyone’s guess if that actually occurs.
“I still think George has enough talent that we’ve got to try to work and see if we can get him to reach and fulfill the talent that he really has,” Rooney said via The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo. “Who knows if we can get there. We’ll see.”
Local Pittsburgh station 93.7 The Fan shared Rooney’s entire comment.
“I think that every team seems to have one or two guys in that room that are, you have to manage them correctly. I still think George has enough talent that we’ve got to shoot, try to work and see if we can get him to reach his, fulfill the talent that he really has. Who knows if we can get there? We’ll see.
“But when you have guys that are as talented as some of the guys you’re probably thinking of you, you try to work with ’em and have them help you be successful.”
Three years in and Pickens’ story is well-defined. An uber-talented player, his ability to make ridiculous catches seem routine is rare and a special trait. His game has grown, now more than just a go-deep route runner, and he was clearly the team’s top receiver in 2024. In three games without him, the Steelers’ passing game went into a shell.
But he caught more negative headlines than he did touchdown passes. Often immature with a short temper, Pickens routinely showed frustration on the sideline, mixing it up with opposing players, and taking penalties for taunting. After reportedly racking up over $200,000 in public and private fines last year, he was fined more than $90,000 by the league this year. Couple that with undisclosed team fines and this year’s figure could rival the 2023 mark.
Reportedly, Pickens was late for the Steelers’ Christmas Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs. DeFabo has previously reported that tardiness is common for Pickens, confirming that fact with his teammates. Speaking to reporters after the season, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin praised Pickens for making strides while acknowledging he still has work to do.
“I think he covered some ground in 2024, but there’s certainly a heck of a lot more ground to be covered, so we’ll see where that leads us,” Tomlin said during his year-end press conference. “I’m always concerned about the growth and development of individuals, whether it’s skill relative to the positions that they hold, professionalism, maturity, or combinations of all of the above.”
A lack of growing up is preventing Pickens from reaching his ceiling and could prevent him from staying in Pittsburgh long-term. Set to enter the final year of his rookie contract and eligible for a contract extension for the first time, Pickens could seek a big payday. Based on Rooney’s comments, it doesn’t sound like the Steelers are eager to get a long-term deal done with him. Pickens recently took to social media to push back on trade rumors but those are expected to swirl throughout the offseason, especially if Pickens raises a stink about playing on a modest rookie salary.
As Rooney hinted at and as has always been the case, George Pickens will determine how good a future he will have. If that means more off-field problems, then Pittsburgh could determine where that future takes place.
