Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens consistently finds himself in headlines after every game. He has become one of the most entertaining players to watch in the league, but he also has his fair share of issues. The wide receiver struggles with frustration during games, and he has gotten into more than one fight throughout the 2024 season while having bouts of showing poor effort. One of these instances came during Pittsburgh's 29-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Wednesday, and it is not a good look for the third-year wide receiver.
Pickens had a few good plays against the Chiefs, but the wide receiver also made a big time mistake. While the Steelers were trailing 13-0 and marching down the field, Pickens gave up on his route on a pass play. It looked like he was supposed to go run a go route down the sideline which would have attracted some attention from the safety. Instead, the safety was able to cheat all the way into the middle of the field since Pickens gave up on the play, and Russell Wilson's pass was intercepted. Many people have been discussing this, including Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens.
The Steelers seem to be a bit discombobulated on both sides of the football. The defense has been atrocious over the last several weeks, and players seem to be getting close to calling out the weak links within the unit. On offense, the issue has been slow starts, along with Pickens occasionally giving up on plays and causing issues. The interception was also a bad decision by Wilson, but Pickens' mistake definitely didn't help.
The interception came at a crucial point in the game, and the Chiefs are also the reigning Super Bowl champions. Teams going up against Kansas City can not afford to make any mistakes, especially on a potential scoring drive near the red zone. This certainly played a big part in the loss, but so did the defense looking the worst it has in years.
The Steelers have a crucial game against the Cincinnati Bengals coming up in Week 18. Pittsburgh is currently behind the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North, but it still has a chance to win the division in Week 18 with a win and a Ravens loss. Aside from that, getting a win against the Bengals would be huge for the team's confidence moving forward into the playoffs. At this point, Pittsburgh may not be expected to win a game in the postseason, but a good game against Cincinnati might just change that. The Bengals could also be fighting for their playoff chances, which would make the game very interesting.
Steelers' George Pickens' Future In Pittsburgh May Be In Jeopardy
Pickens becomes eligible for a contract extension after the 2024 season comes to a close, but it is unlikely he gets one. His immaturity is still concerning at times, as is the way he doesn't stay locked in and carry out his responsibility throughout an entire game. The organization will likely wait until after the 2025 season to extend Pickens or possibly even franchise tag the wide receiver.
A trade is also a possibility after the 2024 season. This way the Steelers get something in return for the wide receiver, rather than letting him walk for nothing during free agency the following year. There is still a chance that Pickens turns things around and gets a new deal, but as of right now, his future in Pittsburgh seems bleak.
