The Pittsburgh Steelers have seen both impressive highs and concerning lows with their young wide receiver, George Pickens. In his first two seasons, Pickens showcased his talent despite being part of a struggling offensive scheme and dealing with inconsistent quarterback play. Even in tough situations, Pickens managed to produce solid performances.
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Steelers' George Pickens celebrates a first down against the Raiders.
The lows, however, stem from his occasional lack of effort and visible frustration, even after his teammates' big touchdowns. This behavior has led some fans to accuse him of being a me-first player rather than a team player. Pickens, though, disagrees, claiming he’s the most unselfish person ever.
Steelers fans recognize Pickens' immense talent and many believe he could be more involved in the offense. If he were, it's likely he'd be in the conversation for the top wide receivers in the league. Despite this, Pickens himself already believes he's a top-five receiver. On Tuesday, he appeared on Fox Sports' The Facility to discuss his status as one of the league's best wideouts.
"I definitely feel like, you know, me averaging 18.1 [yards per reception] last season, most definitely in, what is it, year 3? Yeah, not five, six, seven, eight, or nine. So I definitely feel like I'm top five, top three just off of, I just got here," Pickens said. "I definitely think I'm top five, if not better. Some guys, certain situations are better for certain receivers. That's really the most I can say."
Pickens isn’t egregiously wrong, but his statement seems a bit wild considering he hasn’t scored a touchdown in the 2024 season yet. This isn’t a criticism of Pickens; he’s been navigating a challenging offensive setup, and in a better situation, he could very well be recognized as a top wide receiver by now.
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Steelers' George Pickens celebrates a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football.
However, Pickens’ claim echoes the same sentiment expressed by former Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool during his appearance on the I Am Athlete podcast. That clip quickly became a meme as Claypool's career faltered following those comments. Steelers fans are hopeful that Pickens can rise to the occasion and truly demonstrate that he belongs in the conversation for the top five wide receivers in the league. Pickens went on the detail how situation matters for star wide receivers to shine.
"I probably say schematically is the big thing in football," Pickens said. "That's how you get Amon-Ra St. Brown, slot merchants, that's schematically getting fed the ball. When it comes to that, I ain't playing QB, o-line, and defense all at once. So schematically, that's probably the biggest thing in that way for me to really show the world a bigger platform over my game style."
For Pickens, maintaining a positive demeanor that benefits the team has been a struggle. However, many fans understand his frustrations, given his immense talent.
Making it a priority to get Pickens the ball should be job number one for the Steelers' offense, yet there are times when it feels like that isn’t happening.
Steelers' George Pickens Had A Rough Outing Against Dallas
Some analysts have noted that there are instances when Pickens isn’t open and others when he isn’t putting forth the necessary effort to create separation. During the game against the Dallas Cowboys, he made headlines with an aggressive message on his eye black, which he was later fined for, and ran a career-low number of routes. Mike Tomlin attributed this to load management, but many speculated that something had happened behind the scenes, leading to a perceived punishment for Pickens.
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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens gets a talking to by Head Coach Mike Tomlin.
Regardless, Pickens has the potential to become a star wide receiver in this league, but if he wants to realize that potential in Pittsburgh, he must improve his attitude and effort consistently. He has shown he is capable of this, and some believe he is simply a competitive player who is misunderstood.
Football fans are now left wondering if Pickens’ bold claim about being a top-five wide receiver will come to fruition or if it will backfire and become a meme. He has the ability to dominate in this league, but the question remains: Can he do it in the Steel City?
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