Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes. To a lesser extent, Antonio Brown and Juju Smith Schuster. These are some of the dynamic tandems of wide receivers that the Pittsburgh Steelers have had over the years. But it’s been quite some time since they’ve had two high-end weapons in the passing game out on the perimeter. Unless something changes with George Pickens before the 2025 season, they should now have the spectacular tandem of DK Metcalf and Pickens.
That being said, there is always a risk with having two high-profile targets in the passing game. Wide receivers notoriously want the ball, but only one can have it on any given play.
The first awkward moment between the two of them could have been over the No. 14 jersey number, which both of them have always worn throughout their NFL careers. Today, it was announced that Metcalf will change to No. 4.
He was asked if he tried to barter for No. 14 with Pickens.
“No sir. I mean, he’s been here. He’s made a staple in the number 14,” Metcalf said. “I’m not trying to take away from anybody’s legacy. Just trying to help build mine.”
Metcalf has been known to have a big personality in the past, which isn’t dissimilar from Pickens over the last three years with the Steelers. Some think that could end up being a combustible situation, but Metcalf seems to want to make the best of the situation.
“Football is the ultimate team game, first off,” Metcalf said during his introductory press conference via the Steelers’ YouTube page. “You shouldn’t be on the team if everybody doesn’t want the football. I will say that. Just to come into this organization, to know George from the little conversations that we had in passing. Great player, watched him from afar. The receiver coach calls him freak show, and I think that’s a fitting name for him with the circus catches that he makes.
“But I’m just here to try to instill any wisdom or any knowledge that he allows me to and vice versa. I feel like there’s some things I can learn from him that he does.”
He is saying all the right things when it comes to approaching a situation where he is essentially replacing an existing WR1.
Keep in mind, Pickens has been the top guy for the last two years with Diontae Johnson injured a bunch in 2023. Pickens is entering the final year of his rookie deal, so this would typically be the time that the Steelers give players a long-term contract if they want to keep them in Pittsburgh.
You could argue that trading for Metcalf and giving him a massive contract extension was a slight at Pickens in some ways. Ultimately, it will be up to Pickens how he goes about his business this season. If they work together, there could be tremendous synergy to benefit both receivers with favorable matchups and coverage schemes against them.
Metcalf is no stranger to working in crowded wide receiver rooms with a lot of talent. He’s been with Tyler Lockett ever since he entered the league, and he worked alongside first-round WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the past two seasons.
“I played with great receivers like Tyler Lockett, Freddy Swain, Josh Gordon was on the team my rookie year. So I’ve been around some very talented receivers,” Metcalf said. “I know how to take a back seat and learn from guys like that, and willing to do the same if the case may be that here.”
While Pickens has a bad public image in the media, multiple of his teammates have painted him in a pretty positive light. Donte Jackson said nobody has as much fun playing football as Pickens. Calvin Austin III recently said that Pickens gets treated differently by the media. There is no doubt that he has maturity issues, but it’s unfair to label him a bad teammate.
Will there be testy moments in the 2025 season? I am sure there will be. But chances are that Pickens and Metcalf will coexist, and possibly even thrive, together.
