The Pittsburgh Steelers have multiple issues right now when it comes to their roster. They currently don't have an answer at quarterback, their defense that demands the most money in the league cannot slow down the run game, and their wide receiver room is one of the worst rooms in the NFL. When it comes down to the receiver core, it's currently being held together by the big play ability of George Pickens. While his talent is through the roof and could make an ESPN Top 10 highlight any given Sunday, his attitude and off-field antics have been driving Steelers fans nuts since he walked through the door. The Steelers would love to make Pickens a life-long Steeler, but as year three wrapped up for the talented receiver, the antics could be too much for the organization to handle.
Steelers fans want Pickens to figure it out, celebrate his teammates' big plays, don't be a distraction on and off the field, and just be the elite threat they know he can be. Ben Roethlisberger, on his podcast Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, talked about how the culture of the league has become more about "I" and less about "we." He points out how people do not hear many players complaining about lack of catches or opportunities in the Kansas City Chiefs organization, especially from Travis Kelce. Kelce could see close to zero catches in a game, but he would be one of the first players to go celebrate with his teammates if they were to catch a touchdown, not go pout on the sidelines that he didn't get the ball.
"I think of Travis Kelce, who's going to go down as one of the greatest tight ends to play; there'll be games where he's got one catch for like two yards and someone else catches a touchdown and he might have been wide open. He's not running off the field, he's going to go over and celebrate with his guy," said Roethlisberger. "Where you're going to get a lot of guys that are going to be mad and they're going to go off the field. That's the selfless mentality and of a guy that is a great football player that probably has the right to get mad or pouty about something like that, he doesn't."
Roethlisberger commends Kelce for putting the Chiefs' success over his own, since that's becoming a rare sight to see in the NFL. With the Steelers, a guy that many fans and people inside the organization hope would share the same resolve as Kelce, has shown time and time again that he probably never will. Pickens has shown multiple times throughout his career in Pittsburgh that he puts himself over the team. From pouting on the sidelines when Diontae Johnson finally found the end zone after nearly two years, to after the play antics like against the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns this past season, these are just a few of his incidents in his short time in Pittsburgh that do not scream team player.
The Steelers need leaders and selfless players in their locker room. If that means that Pickens faces the same fate that Johnson faced this past offseason, it could be closer to becoming a reality than most think. The Steelers still need receiver help regardless of if they keep Pickens or not this offseason, but if they sign a guy like Christian Kirk and use one of their top draft picks on another receiver, that could be a sign that Pickens' bags are starting to be packed.
Steelers' Wide Receiver Needs To Either Change Or Get Shipped Out
The days of dealing with locker room drama has to be over for Mike Tomlin and the Steelers organization. Whether Pickens finally buys into being a team player and not focus on individuality is up to him. In a perfect world, the Steelers would keep Pickens through his prime and would win multiple Super Bowls with him leading the charge, but this is a business and Pittsburgh must do what they think is best for the team.
If Pickens wants to stay in Pittsburgh and be the guy, he might want to take some advice from Kelce.
Is Pickens becoming a problem that's unfixable? Do you think he can learn to become a more selfless teammate and not a distraction? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
