Pittsburgh Steelers Wide Receiver George Pickens addressed his well-covered outburst at last Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons. Pickens was captured on the sideline yelling, obviously frustrated.
"Throw me the f--king ball!"
This came on the heels of Diontae Johnson nearly fumbling in the fourth quarter.
George Pickens (14) catches two-point conversion to give the Pittsburgh Steelers a 24-17 lead on MNF / Photo Credit: Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers
#Steelers WR George Pickens is ANGRY:
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) December 4, 2022
“Throw me the ball man—throw me the fucking ball”
They are frustrated with Matt Canada in Pittsburgh pic.twitter.com/SYIx5E98rk
Pickens Stops Media Short
On Wednesday, Pickens spoke to the media during his press conference and cut them short. Prior to any reporters being able to ask any questions he decided to go ahead and address the elephant in the room about his vocalization.
"Before we start this, I ain't going to be just saying stuff for you all to just paint a story [and] make a statement bigger than what it is, or make something bigger than what it is," Pickens said to open his four-minute availability Wednesday morning.
Pickens went on to say that all receivers want the ball and pointed out that he is not the first to get agitated, citing former NFL receiver and well-known "diva" Terrell Owens.
This comes on the heels of Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin addressing the media yesterday, echoing the same sentiment. The team is not making it something bigger than what it was. Tomlin said that he appreciates Pickens' passion and they are working on developing mature ways to share any aggravations. Some of that is undoubtedly coming from some of the leaders on the team. Steelers Captain and Defensive Tackle Cam Heyward had a quiet moment with an agitated Pickens on the sideline after his venting. This gave Heyward a chance to inspire the rookie on how to deal with these situations.
"I'd rather say 'Whoa' than 'Sic 'em,'" Tomlin said Tuesday. "I want a guy that wants to be a significant part of what it is that we do. Now, the appropriate and professional and mature way to express that, we're growing and working on, and we will continue to. But that spirit, that competitive spirit, the guy that wants the ball. I want that guy."
Tomlin has addressed this before regarding other players and has stated that they all want more. It is the nature of professional sports, the players are perfectionists, who are hungry. It seems likely that Pickens' hunger might have been increased by the location, Pickens attended college in Georgia and had supporters in the crowd.
While Pickens may not have been happy at the game on Sunday, he told reporters that he is happy overall with the Steelers' offense. He has 37 receptions so far this season for 512 yards and two touchdowns. He is third in targets behind Tight End Pat Freiermuth and fellow receiver Johnson.
George Pickens (14) Celebrates Two-Point Conversion / Photo Credit: Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pickett on Pickens
Steelers' Quarterback Kenny Pickett, was also asked about Pickens and if he is concerned about that kind of behavior. Pickett minimized it and put the onus on the defense saying they really determine who gets the ball.
“He’s a competitor man, of course,” Pickett said. “You know, we want to get the ball to George. We’ll continue to work that with Diontae, George, Pat. We’ve got weapons everywhere. Sometimes, that’s just how it goes. Somedays it can be George’s, or Diontae’s, or Pat’s. That’s just how it works with this offense because the defense dictates what we do and where the ball goes. Today, it was spread around really well. But obviously, we want to get the ball in 14’s hands.”
One thing is for sure, George Pickens is freakishly talented. When Pickett is able to get the ball anywhere near his fingertips he almost always reels it in. Pickens has been a favorite target for the young QB, they worked together quite a bit in training camp and seem to have good chemistry. Steelers Nation echos Pickett's sentiments, "get the ball in 14's hands!"
Steelers' George Pickens (#14) makes a one-handed catch in practice on Wednesday in Pittsburgh, PA. | Photo Credit: Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers
What do you think of Pickens airing his frustrations? Do you think he has the makings of a diva or is this a one-off occurrence? Comment below!
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