Steelers' George Pickens And Jaylen Warren Meet In Private To Discuss Potential Beef

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been a hot topic throughout the NFL in the month of December. It's not because of any kind of success, however. The team is in the midst of a three-game losing streak and while the playoffs are still a possibility, it's not looking like the organization will compete for a seventh Super Bowl in January. One of the biggest storylines has been the on and off field antics of wide receiver George Pickens. He has shown a significant lack of maturity and that was highlighted in a Week 15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

Running back Jaylen Warren was approaching the goal line and all he needed was a block from Pickens to get into the end zone last Saturday. Instead, the wideout bailed on his block because he felt Warren coming his way and didn't want to get rolled up on. The video went viral and while the Steelers scored on the drive, Pickens' lack of effort entered the spotlight.

Warren recently told Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he would have been blocking for his teammate in that situation. He ended up stating that he and Pickens must just play different. The comments were taken to be a slight dig at Pickens, and rightfully so. On Warren's show, The Sick Podcast, he spoke about how the two got together in order to get back on the same page and to squash any beef. Warren believes the two need to come together and block out any external noise.

"Yeah, we talked about how the media tries to bash us together and trying to create this whole scene. But it’s nothing like that. He understands my point of view, the team’s point of view. He understands what’s going on. Next time, he says that he’ll block.”

It's certainly nice to hear that Pickens has an idea (hopefully) of why his comments were accepted so poorly. The truth of the matter, however, is that actions speak louder than words, and the wide receiver should be the team's most aggressive blocker in Week 16 if he wants the media to stop questioning him about his efforts on the field.

Warren is an extremely soft spoken individual who plays with a chip on his shoulder. He was an undrafted free agent coming out of college and now is in line to potentially be the Steelers' starting running back in 2024 and beyond. He had a mature comment when talking about if he was frustrated that he was unable to get into the end zone.

“I don’t really get frustrated because it’s out of my control. Just thinking like that will pour more fuel on the fire," Warren said.

Pickens is running out of chances with the fans in Pittsburgh. Head Coach Mike Tomlin stood by him in a rare mid-week press conference, but it's hard to buy into him as a player when he is consistently giving reasons to root for his dismissal. He has all the talent in the world, but no one is going to like a bad teammate and it shouldn't be tolerated.

The Steelers have three remaining games in the 2023 season and while it's unlikely the franchise moves on from Pickens in 2024, certain actions over the final few games could leave Tomlin and co. no choice. Talent can only get you so far and the lack of maturity from Pickens is an extremely concerning thing to have going on in the locker room.

Steelers Can't Be Blinded By Pickens' Raw Football Abilities

Pickens' career in Pittsburgh is not over yet. It's too early to give up on a guy who has the potential to be one of the best pass catchers in the NFL. That doesn't mean he should keep getting chances after unnecessary comments and actions on the field. It will be interesting to see how his career plays out going forward and it's not out of the realm of possibility that he is out of Pittsburgh before his rookie contract expires.

Do you think Warren and Pickens meeting privately truly solved any issues? Let us know in the comments below!

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