Steelers' Diontae Johnson Defends George Pickens; Says "He's Not The Problem With The Offense"

The Pittsburgh Steelers' offense has had all sorts of problems this season, from their starting quarterback Kenny Pickett getting hurt, to the firing of their former Offensive Coordinator, Matt Canada. The awful play-calling combined with lackluster offensive play has had many consider the Steelers as one of the worst offenses in the NFL. It even has made some of the team's alumni come out and question if the old Steeler way is gone?

Steelers Fans Could Be Having Flashbacks To Former Receivers

With the way that things have been going, many players have become frustrated with the team and have let their emotions pour out. The most notable player to do so is the team's star wide receiver, George Pickens. From throwing temper tantrums, to showing little to no effort on certain plays, Steelers fans could be having flashbacks to former receivers.

We saw what happened with the likes of Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Chase Claypool. Now, it looks like Pickens is going down that same road and could possibly be out of the organization in the future. Many people have advised the Steelers to get rid of him and let both the team and Pickens get a fresh start. Since Pickens has the talent to be an elite-level receiver, you could be lucky enough to get a second-round draft pick like they did with Claypool and turn that into his replacement.

On the surface, it may look like Pickens is one of the biggest problems on the offense. However, wide receiver Diontae Johnson thinks that there are bigger problems right now and seems to stand up for his teammate. While getting interviewed on Tuesday morning, Johnson was questioned about Pickens' emotions. That is when he stated that it was more his emotions, rather than him being a problem.

"Everybody's emotions are going to be like this. It's my job, everybody's job to rally around a guy like that, George [Pickens] specifically." Johnson then said, "Emotions are a part of the game. I don't want to just sit here and just make it so like George is the problem with the offense. That's not the case."

Although it is concerning that Johnson isn't frustrated with seeing his teammate practically give up on plays, it is great to hear that he is at least trying to rally around Pickens and help him get back on track. But, once again, this is not the old Steeler way. Guys like Ben Roethlisberger and Maurkice Pouncey wouldn't have been too embracing and would have made sure that the effort was there every single play.

If the Steelers do decide to keep Pickens in the future or not, he needs to take a long look in the mirror and decide who he wants to be as a player. He has the talent to be an All-Pro level receiver, but if emotions continue to get the best of him, all that talent will be going to waste.

So, what do you think, Steeler Nation? Will the Steelers and Head Coach Mike Tomlin be able to get Pickens back on the right track? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

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