George Pickens ended his third season in the NFL with way more questions than answers.
Despite missing three games with a hamstring injury and being the only feature on an offense's perimeter, Pickens still went for 900 receiving yards and once again was a big play threat, evidenced by his 15.3 yards per catch.
But it was all the stuff off the field (and sometimes on it) that has left many including Steelers owner Art Rooney wondering if he will ever grow up...
Art Rooney says George Pickens still has a lot of room to grow
"You know, I think the wide receiver room is an area we've gotta look at improving," Steelers owner Art Rooney said on Monday. "And, you know, look, George [Pickens] is a very talented player who has room to grow and we'd like to see him grow and, you know, hopefully, he realizes the potential that he has. But there's definitely room for growth there."
For Pickens, the time has come for him to decide what he wants out of his NFL future. He is headed into the final year of his rookie deal, and it's unlikely that the Steelers extend his contract, with 2025 being the final straw.
Is he one of the most talented WRs in the league? No question. Could he be a perennial Pro Bowl talent given his combination of size, speed, and catch radius? Absolutely.
But he has to get out of his way first.
'He's just gotta grow up," said HC Mike Tomlin when asked about George Pickens penalties during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. "This is an emotional game man. "These divisional games are big. He's got a target on his back because he's George. He understands that, but he's got to grow up. He's got to grow up in a hurry."
The bottom line is, there are two options for George Pickens. Either he quiets down or at least keeps things inside the building the way Antonio Brown did for so long, or he crashes out, similar to what we have seen with Diontae Johnson ever since he left Pittsburgh.
Time will tell which path he chooses.
