Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens has been the center of attention this week after several antics in Sunday night’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Pickens has been scrutinized by the media and fanbase, but quarterback Russell Wilson feels like people outside of the locker room are getting the wrong picture of the talented wide receiver out of Georgia.
“We love the player that he is,” Russell Wilson said. “We love the competitor that he is and that’s the thing that you have to understand. Is George a bad teammate? Absolutely not. Is George a hell of a player? Absolutely. Is he a great competitor? Absolutely. Is he a guy that wants the ball? Absolutely. Is he a guy that can do anything on the field that most people can’t? Absolutely.
“So I think the best thing that we can focus on is find different ways to get up in the ball, obviously also to him staying composed, that matters — but also understanding that it’s all team effort.”
George Pickens’ dad also sent a message on X recently, defending his son by saying that he is misunderstood.
“George Pickens the Athlete. A very fiery competitor, that wants to win,” Pickens’ dad wrote. “He’s a very talented young guy that has definitely been misunderstood. He has the Super Competitive Gene. Guys with that Gene, have to be involved early and often. It’s a engaged tactic. Involve him early.”
Like most star wide receivers, Pickens is an emotional player. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith even admitted that when speaking with reporters on Thursday.
“George is an emotional guy. He does that every game, maybe just it’s high profile,” Smith said about Pickens slamming his helmet on the ground on the sidelines. “I’ve had players who have tackles, we get a sack, wish he had run the ball. We have guys that you throw it, wish he’d handed it off. As long as I’ve been in the league, I think, maybe things are more — there’s so many cameras out there, it’s like you’re working on The Truman Show.
“I don’t know if there’s more — people have been covering this game for a long time. If you could only go back in history and see presentation”>some of the things that make you laugh and may be out of context.But the most highly competitive guys I’ve had, you get to the point where you don’t pay attention. You have direct conversation with the players, and you get to know them, but I don’t know. I don’t know what the camera shows, what it doesn’t. I’ve certainly been guilty, regretfully, showing frustration at times, calling a game, at an official, which is not what you want. Some of that stuff, I’ll be honest, I don’t even pay attention to it. You’re just so hyper focused on trying to make adjustments and win the game.”
It will be interesting to see if the Steelers can get Pickens going on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders. Pickens has surpassed 100 receiving yards just once through five games and has yet to score a touchdown.
Pickens mysteriously played only 39 snaps against Dallas. Even Van Jefferson received more snaps.
“It was just part of the game plan,” Pickens said.
Asked if he feels he can earn those reps back: “No. It’s not on me. It’s all up to Art. If Art wants to do a certain type of play or certain types of game plans, it’s going to be different.”
