Steelers' George Pickens Detailed He Plays 'Angry' When He Doesn't Get The Ball "I Should Get The Ball Every Play"

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a ton of young talent on offense entering the 2023 season. The group is highlighted by second-year quarterback, Kenny Pickett, but there are several other players who remain on their rookie contracts that could be a big part of the organization's future. Najee Harris, Pat Freiermuth, Calvin Austin III and Darnell Washington all come to mind at the skill positions, but no one seems to have more untapped potential than wide receiver, George Pickens. The pass catcher is entering his second season and coming off a rookie campaign that saw him catch 52 passes for 801 yards and four touchdowns.

While many fans throughout the NFL know of Pickens because of his fantastic one-handed catch against the Cleveland Browns in 2022, the black and gold faithful have high expectations for him. The hope is that he turns in to, not only the top wide receiver on the team, but one of the best in the entire league as he matures on and off the field.

One of the first concerns regarding Pickens came up in a Week 13 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. The offense was sputtering and the team was only able to capture the win due to 12 points off of Matthew Wright's leg. Early in the fourth quarter, the wide receiver approached the sideline in an extremely disgruntled manner. He was furious that he wasn't being targeted enough in the passing game and let it be known.

Defensive lineman and team leader, Cameron Heyward approached Pickens on the sideline in an attempt to try and calm him down. It wasn't a great sight for a young offensive player to be as frustrated as he was and the veteran defender wanted to get ahead of it before it became more of an issue. There's one thing that's clear: Pickens is an extremely passionate player.

Steelers WR George Pickens Explains Why He Gets So Angry When Not Targeted

Pickens recently joined Kevin Clark of The Ringer to discuss his personality on and off the field. He went into detail about what his thought process is when he doesn't get targeted in games. He's confident enough in his abilities, that he would be looking his way during every single snap.

"Every time I get out on the field, I do kind of play angry because I should get the ball on every play if you just look at the size and the frame. If I was a coach, I’d just throw to him every time," Pickens said.

The outburst in Atlanta is a negative side effect of having this kind of belief in yourself as an NFL receiver. Pickens talked about what he does with that anger and it's not a great thing to hear if you are an opposing cornerback lined up opposite of him.

"Every time I’m out there, that’s why I throw the blocks. I love getting the ball, and when I’m not getting the ball I play angry so the attention is back on me. I basically draw attention to myself."

It can be dangerous to have that kind of passion about getting the football consistently because at the end of the day, no receiver can be looked at during every passing play. It's good news for the Steelers offense, however, if he stays away from the frustration on the sideline and does indeed direct it towards blocking in the rushing attack.

The passion from Pickens is both a blessing and a curse. It's human nature for players to be frustrated when they aren't involved as much as they believe they should be, but as long as the second-year pass catcher remains in check and turns the majority of that anger into a positive for the Steelers offense, there should be no complaints coming from fans.

Do you think it's dangerous that Pickens gets so upset when he's not involved in the passing game? Let us know in the comments below!

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