Steelers' George Pickens Must Seriously Step Up In 2024 To Gain Recognition Outside Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, George Pickens is the top dog this season, at least as of now. After the team chose to trade Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers, Pickens slid up to the number one spot of the position group. This has created a lot of discussion surrounding Pickens and his abilities both on and off the field.

Johnson and Pickens took heat from the media and fans for displaying a poor attitude, especially during the 2023 season. Pickens particularly was criticized for not blocking for running back Jaylen Warren during a Week 15 game against the Indianapolis Colts. He was seen pouting or throwing tantrums on the sideline when things weren't going his way. It just gave off the vibe that he wasn't a team player, and being partnered with Johnson just seemed to make it worse. 

The one undeniable fact is Pickens' talent. Few players can make contested catches the way he does. However, despite his talent, CBS Sports recently snubbed him. They published a list of the top 20 wide receivers heading into the 2024 season, and Pickens was nowhere to be found. 

That led Donny Football to ask Steelers reporter Ray Fittipaldo from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about it during the 93.7 The Fan Morning Show. Fittipaldo was asked what it would take for Pickens to break into the top 20. 

"I say it all the time: he's the Steelers' number one receiver. I'm not convinced he's viewed around the league as a number one receiver," said Fittipaldo. "He had over 1,100 yards last year. It was a good season. A lot of that came with big plays late in the season, so I think people on the national level want to see more consistency. Can you be a guy that goes out there every single week and gets five, six, seven catches, you know, close to 100 yards, between 80-120 every single week? That consistency is probably the thing that's holding him back. He's a guy that's still developing, and leadership, maturity, and all those things play into your image around the league, and I think that's probably an issue with some people out there as well."

While Pickens' attitude might have been an issue the past two seasons, Fittipaldo quickly points out that he is also a victim of former Offensive Coordinator, Matt Canada. He said he isn't taking responsibility away from Kenny Pickett, but there is a component of it which is because of Canada's terrible play-calling. Fittipaldo added that Pickens wasn't the only victim of Canada; fellow wide receiver Calvin Austin III and tight end Pat Freiermuth were also misunderstood and misused by him. 

The Steelers could always try and trade for another top receiver. Brandon Aiyuk is the player mentioned most often lately. Pickens' attitude has been a concern since he was at the University of Georgia. It was speculated to be one of the reasons why he dropped into the second round. If he embraces and runs with this changed environment, focusing on his on-field performance, he can have a breakout year. 

Steelers Setting George Pickens Up To Succeed

The Steelers see potential in Pickens and are doing all they can to ensure he and the team succeed. They not only replaced Canada with Arthur Smith, but they brought on Wide Receivers Coach Zach Azzanni. 

These new coaches are expected to bring more discipline to the team, especially the wide receivers room. Receivers are known a bit to act like divas, and this isn't unfamiliar territory in the Steel City. After all, Antonio Brown played here from 2010-2018 and was quite the handful of drama throughout the years.

Azzanni is known for cutting through the garbage and not taking nonsense from players. The Steelers need a coach who can rein in someone like Pickens, who has so much passion, but needs to learn to channel it correctly. 

Do you think Pickens was snubbed? Click to comment below. 

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