For the last few weeks, Pittsburgh Steelers playmaker George Pickens has been drawing headlines for all of the wrong reasons. Heading into Week 8, he was coming off impressive back-to-back 100-yard performances. With counterpart Diontae Johnson back in the fold, Pickens hasn't seen as much action the past two games. In fact, he's been held to just three catches for 21 total yards across the two outings.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 22: George Pickens #14 of the Pittsburgh Steelers at SoFi Stadium on October 22, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
That's not exactly what has drawn the headlines though. Pickens has had a few outbursts, including some poor body language after Johnson scored his first touchdown since 2021 in Week 9 against the Tennessee Titans. Wide receiver Allen Robinson hasn't been a huge contributor on the field, but similar to Patrick Peterson, he's become a major leader on this 2023 team. On Monday via Jeff Hathhorn of 93.7 The Fan, Robinson all but confirmed Pickens' recent frustrations with his lack of touches.
"The season can be a rollercoaster sometimes. It’s one of those things where it’s never exactly where you want it. It’s not going to be easy. We’ve continually talked to him [Pickens] and communicated to him. He’s a significant player in this league and is going to attract a significant amount of attention from defenses trying to take him away.”
The second-year wideout was seen heading straight to the sidelines right after Johnson's Week 9 touchdown and then looked quite unhappy when he took his helmet off. A day later, Pickens posted a cryptic Instagram story with the caption "Free Me." While he has since denied that it was about football, it was a questionable post nonetheless. As former Steelers Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward referenced, you have to be mindful when posting things like that.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett has built a good chemistry with wideout George Pickens, which has opened things up for Diontae Johnson recently.
Should The Steelers Be Concerned About Pickens Moving Forward?
In a historic franchise like the Steelers, no player is ever bigger than the team, something else that Ward mentioned. Teams have started to focus more on Pickens, who is the Steelers' best deep ball threat. Instead, they've allowed Johnson to feast in single coverage on underneath routes while not allowing Pickens to make big plays. It's something that quarterback Kenny Pickett recently addressed, as he said the second-year wideout has opened things up for Johnson.
“Continuing to talk to him and give him an understanding of that. I get it, everyone wants to have numbers... As receivers, you see across the league, you see it can be frustrating sometimes when you are not getting the ball. It’s staying locked in and staying aware of the big picture," Robinson said via Hathhorn.
The University of Georgia product hasn't exactly done himself any favors either, as he had an easy touchdown against the Titans. Pickens caught the ball, but despite plenty of room left to spare, wasn't able to get two feet inbounds. That's just one example of a few different opportunities that Pickens hasn't been able to capitalize on recently.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson went through several growing pains in the early portions of his career, but he's matured immensely since then.
Perhaps some of his frustration has to do with himself lately, but he has to channel it better. It's something that plenty of young players, particularly wide receivers have to go through: the maturation process. It hasn't been all smooth sailing for Diontae Johnson in his Steelers career, but he has matured immensely over the years. Now, he's the veteran that's mentoring Pickens. For now, fans should remain patient and remember that he's just 22 years old.
What are your overall thoughts on the recent antics from Pickens? Are you concerned about this becoming a bigger issue down the road? How big has Robinson been from a leadership standpoint in 2023? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!
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