Insider: Steelers Get Bad News As George Pickens Has Grade 2 Hamstring Injury

The Pittsburgh Steelers were without their star wide receiver George Pickens in their Week 14 27-14 win over the Cleveland Browns. Pickens was ruled out just about an hour before kickoff, and wide receiver Scotty Miller stepped up to replace him. 

While some Steelers pundits speculated whether this sudden absence was some form of behind-the-scenes punishment for Pickens, those claims were quickly dismissed as baseless. Instead, Pickens' unavailability was due to an injury concern that emerged during practice Friday and then sparked back up during the pre game preparations.

Steelers insider Gerry Dulac joined Randy Baumann and the DVE Morning Show on Monday morning to provide a concerning update about Pickens’ hamstring injury. Dulac shut down any of the rumors that Pickens was being punished. He explained that Pickens has a very real hamstring injury which could force him to miss the game Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.

"Yeah I think that is a nice conspiracy theory Randall but I can tell you that is not the case," Dulac said. "He has a grade 2 hamstring injury which that is typically two weeks. I don’t think they are expecting him to play in Philadelphia either."

According to Dulac, the injury wasn’t initially considered serious, but further evaluation revealed it might be more problematic than expected. Hamstring injuries can be notoriously tricky, and the Steelers are proceeding with caution to avoid risking a setback for their standout receiver. 

Dulac continued to clarify his comments and shed more light into the Pickens injury.

"Right now that is the expectation," Dulac said. "When you get that type of hamstring injury, it is typically two weeks so the expectation is that he won't play in Philadelphia either. My point is, the guy is hurt. If Mike Tomlin really wanted to make a statement about him. I don't think he would do it quietly."

Dulac believes it’s unlikely that Pickens will be ready to play against the Eagles. This is far from ideal for a Steelers team already grappling with concerns about their wide receiver depth. 

Outside of Pickens, the roster consists mostly of wide receiver threes and a few borderline twos. While it’s not an optimal situation, Mike Tomlin was pleased to see Miller step up and deliver big plays in Pickens’ absence, offering some hope for the offense moving forward.

Steelers Need A Healthy George Pickens To Make Deep Playoff Run

The Steelers leaned on a committee approach without Pickens, and Miller’s performance in a crucial divisional matchup was a bright spot. His ability to make an impact when called upon highlighted some of the untapped potential in the receiving corps. Still, losing a player of Pickens' caliber for an extended period would pose significant challenges for an offense that relies heavily on his explosive playmaking. Both fans and the organization are eager for updates on his recovery as they prepare for their next test.

At 10-3, the Steelers are positioning themselves as legitimate Super Bowl contenders. With a favorable matchup against the Browns, the team made the calculated decision not to risk further aggravating Pickens’ injury. There’s no controversy here—Pickens is simply hurt, and Steeler Nation is hopeful he can heal up quickly to continue contributing to their postseason push.

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