The Pittsburgh Steelers have managed to survive without any household names at receiver behind George Pickens this season. Pickens’ production has been a big reason why. The 23-year-old has twice as many receptions and receiving yards than any other Steelers wideout this season.
Yet, Pickens is still wearing out his welcome in Pittsburgh according to many pundits.
This week, TribLive.com’s Mark Madden wrote that Pickens “isn’t very bright and lacks accountability. Pickens’ rookie deal doesn’t expire until after the 2025 season, but Madden also argued that the Steelers have little choice but to depart with Pickens this upcoming offseason.
“The Steelers need to draft a receiver, find another in free agency and ditch Pickens in the offseason,” wrote Madden. “His contract expires after the 2025 campaign, but extending him for big money would be stupid. Pickens’ idiocy too often undoes his ability. (Pickens can’t be a lame duck on an expiring contract next season. He’d go totally cuckoo.)”
Madden also addressed the notion from Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin that Pickens has a target on his back.
“Tomlin should note Pickens put that target there himself. It hurts the Steelers,” wrote Madden. “Pickens got illegally wrenched to the turf prior to Cincinnati’s first-quarter pick-6 but no call.
“Pickens is a proven pain in the backside that won’t get an officiating break. Which further dilutes what Pickens does.”
Pickens once again led the Steelers in receiving yards during Week 13. But as Madden noted, he lost 15 yards on penalties twice — after his second and third catches of the afternoon.
Furthermore, Pickens may have been fortunate to avoid a third foul. After scoring a touchdown on his first reception, he kicked the ball into the crowd. The officials didn’t call a penalty.
Mike Tomlin Puts WR George Pickens on Notice
When Pickens has been in hot water in the past, Tomlin has offered his full support. Most notably, Tomlin didn’t cater to media and fan demand to bench Pickens after the receiver admitted to not blocking to avoid getting hurt during last year’s Week 15 contest against the Indianapolis Colts.
Pickens rewarded Tomlin and the Steelers for their support. In their next game, Pickens posted a career-high 195 receiving yards with 2 touchdowns.
But after committing two penalties versus the Cincinnati Bengals on December 1, Tomlin showed a little more tough love to the Steelers No. 1 wideout.
“He’s just got to grow up, man. It’s an emotional game,” Tomlin told reporters after Week 13. “These divisional games are big. He’s got a target on his back because he’s George. He understands that.
“But he has to grow up. He has to grow up in a hurry.”
As Madden argued, though, that target didn’t just appear by accident. Pickens has gained a reputation around the league as a malcontent. On the field, he also seems to have gained notoriety for his physicality.
Neither looks favorably in the eyes of the officials. It leads to either Pickens getting penalties that maybe he shouldn’t or him not drawing calls against the opposing defense.
Officials Admit to Getting 2nd Pickens Penalty Wrong
The NFL proved Tomlin’s point about Pickens having a target on his back in Week 13.
Pickens told reporters after beating the Bengals that the officials admitted to Pickens one of the fouls against him shouldn’t have been a penalty.
“Yeah, they said they got the gest[ure] wrong, you know what I mean? Thought it was something else,” Pickens told the media.
“You can’t hurt the team — I never intend to hurt the team. But [the referee] just thought the gesture was different.”
Pickens received a 15-yard penalty after a 36-yard catch apparently because he pointed his right arm straight ahead with only his thumb, index and middle finger extended. The officials interpreted the move as a violent gun gesture.
Interestingly, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has celebrated with a similar gesture previously. The officials didn’t penalize Allen.
That goes back to the idea that Pickens has a target on his back with the officials; Allen does not. But once the target is on one’s back, it’s not easy to get it off.
Pickens may have to find a way to do that, though, if he expects Steelers media to support him receiving a second contract in Pittsburgh.
In his weekly fan chat, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac predicted the Steelers would not give Pickens a contract extension before the 2025 season.
