The Pittsburgh Steelers certainly can't blame their subpar offensive production in 2023 on their lack of weapons, but perhaps somewhere they can start to look is how mature those talented players are when it matters. Steelers brilliant second-year wide receiver, George Pickens has found himself in the middle of a back-and-forth after a rough game in their Week 9 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers receiver George Pickens has shown in 2023 that despite his talent, there is still a great deal of maturing left to do
After watching the sideline body language that got Pickens into this mess, Steelers former standout receiver, Hines Ward had some advice for the young player that could hopefully help Pickens avoid the same fate that many dynamic, young Steelers receivers ended up having.
Steelers Hines Ward Wants The Best For George Pickens
The Steelers have had more than a few receivers that could be classified as outstanding at what they do. Ward spent his entire career in Pittsburgh, earning him the reputation as one of the toughest players in the entire league thanks to his knack for never avoiding a block. There is a standard when it comes to wearing the Steelers colors, and that is something Ward knows quite a bit about. When a former Pittsburgh player sees a current player acting in a way that isn't in line with that standard, they have earned the right to speak on the matter.
Pickens, after an uncharacteristic game without an impact (-1 total yards) in their Week 9 win over the Titans, took to Instagram to do what seemed to everyone else like a session of ill-advised venting. He later removed all posts except for a single one and then posted a strange, somewhat foreboding message: "Free me." While Pickens went back in later and brought back all the removed posts, including adding a new post where he laughed at the uproar his antics had caused. Ward spoke with CBS Sports during a one-on-one interview on Saturday and made his opinion on the matter known.
"When you start posting tweets and giving media an opportunity to bring it up, that can be a distraction to most teams, especially Pittsburgh being so young. You just have to be mindful, be careful because you can't make it all about George Pickens. You've got to make it about the Pittsburgh Steelers and the reason why we have six Lombardi Trophies in that building. It wasn't just about one player, I can guarantee you that."
Ward lifted two of those trophies, so when he talks about what it takes to win them, the words are certainly worth listening to. Pickens has the talent, but he should absolutely pay attention to what Ward is saying and take it in because there are plenty of examples of times when Pittsburgh did not put up with antics.
Lucy Schaly / Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens needs to compose himself during games if he wants to be considered a true all-around threat in the NFL
Steelers' Ward Put The Game Before Himself And Advises The Same
The Steelers are a storied franchise with many players in the Hall of Fame, and Ward certainly has the statistics to back up his being one of those acclaimed Steelers in history. Ward is the all-time Steelers leader in receiving yards, catches, and receiving touchdowns; each one is an amazing accomplishment in itself, but to have all of them is staggering. Even with all of those personal statistics and franchise records, Ward doesn't see football success as having much to do with those numbers.
"I'm kind of old school. I'm more of a team first, me second guy. I just wanted to see how I can help impact the game when I'm not getting my opportunities, attempts, catches things like that. At the end of the day, championships that's all I really cared about. I didn't really care about stats."
One of the hardest things for an NFL receiver to do is to not care about their own personal success and put the team and the wins first and foremost. It is easy to say the right thing, but to be on the field and not have any catches, but still celebrate in the team winning is truly a challenging aspect of being a professional.
Pickens knows that he is an immensely talented human being, and that isn't being questioned at all, but when your teammate breaks through his touchdown slump and you emerge with a victory, that should be more than enough to lift the spirits. Instead, Pickens seemed determined to focus on himself and the impact he didn't have on the game.
Associated Press / Don Wright
Pittsburgh Steelers former wide receiver, Antonio Brown should be a warning to George Pickens that talent can't make up for distracting antics
Ward wants Pickens to succeed, and he has run in those same black and gold colors that the second-year player now wears. It isn't just an old-school player speaking to someone from the modern game. It's a legend talking to someone who needs to adjust their perspective and remember where they are playing. This isn't the Las Vegas Raiders or the Dallas Cowboys, where talent can make up for distractions. Those kinds of things don't fly for long in Pittsburgh. That is something Ward has seen up close, and he doesn't want Pickens to go down those same roads.
"George, he's just young. Extremely talented. Wants the ball. It's not a bad thing. I love receivers who want to impact the game, but also, you have to keep everything in perspective and understand that it's not about you. Sometimes, don't can't get all caught up in drinking the Kool-Aid and thinking that it's all about you, because football is a total team aspect. One person can't win the Super Bowl by themselves. It takes a collective group of guys to come together, to be unselfish."
Pickens has every chance to put together a stellar career, and that starts by taking in this advice instead of just shrugging it off. Wisdom comes from experience, and Ward certainly has enough NFL experience to let Pickens know the right and wrong direction to go. The only question is whether the talented second-year wideout will listen.
Will George Pickens still be a Steelers player in 2024?
#SteelerNation
