The Pittsburgh Steelers have always had some great talent at wide receiver, but these players have also always had some pretty big personalities. This includes the likes of Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, and even Chase Claypool. Now Pittsburgh has George Pickens on its roster, who clearly has the talent to be a top five wide receiver in the NFL. The only thing holding Pickens back is his immaturity and poor behavior.
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Steelers' George Pickens celebrates with his teammates after a big time touchdown.
There has been many times throughout his three-year career where Pickens has shown signs of immaturity and he has made some bad decisions on the field. During the Steelers' victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13, Pickens made two great plays, but followed each of them up by getting flagged for doing too much after the whistle. Each penalty was 15 yards, which severely hurts an offense. Former NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall spoke about Pickens on the most recent episode of his podcast, I Am Athlete.
"This is what I would say to George [Pickens]," Marshall said. "You're a top five wide receiver. The stats don't say that, but you're a top five wide receiver. You're a dog. Just don't be that guy. Don't be that guy. There's always a guy that F it up. We say, 'Don't F it up. Don't F it up.'"
Marshall clearly likes Pickens, as he understands that Pickens is easily a top five wide receiver in the league despite him never quite producing like one. The third-year wide receiver has had questionable quarterback play throughout his career, but has still been able to put himself into the conversation of who the great wide receivers in the NFL are.
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Steelers' George Pickens makes an incredible touchdown catch against the Washington Commanders in Week 10 of the 2024 season.
Marshall was one of the best receivers in the NFL during his career, although he never made it to the postseason. Marshall played in the NFL for 13 years and had the majority of his success with the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears, and New York Jets. He was named an All-Pro twice and has a good chance to make the Hall of Fame one day.
Marshall had his own feuds throughout his career. There were rumors that he and quarterback Jay Cutler didn't get along, and Marshall was always considered a pretty large personality. This message coming to Pickens from a former player of Marshall's stature should mean a lot to the receiver. He was likely a fan, and Marshall cares about the young player. He doesn't want him to ruin his career moving forward.
As of now, Pickens seems to be on a dangerous path. If he continues to show signs on immaturity, it is unlikely the Steelers will try to sign him to a second contract, and they could even look to move the receiver as early as the 2025 offseason. Pickens becomes eligible for an extension after the 2024 season, but it is unlikely he will get one unless he shows considerable improvement in these areas that cause worry.
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Steelers wideout George Pickens gets ready for a regular season game against the New York Jets in 2022.
Steelers' George Pickens Has Had Countless People Call Him Out
Pickens has always been able to produce on the field, but it is growing harder and harder to look past all of his other issues. Even Head Coach Mike Tomlin called him out after the win over the Bengals for hurting the team, which says a lot. Tomlin usually keeps issues like these close to the vest and handles them behind closed doors, but in this instance, he called Pickens out directly to the media.
The wide receiver must grow up, or else his time in Pittsburgh may be coming to an end. His on-field production is certainly attractive, but not a lot of teams would want to add a player like Pickens to their locker room unless he shows considerable improvement with his attitude.
What do you think about Marshall's message to Pickens? Let us know in the comments below!
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