Steelers' Arthur Smith Explains George Pickens' Limited Role Against Dallas

Pittsburgh Steelers star wide receiver, George Pickens found himself in hot water with both the franchise and fans after the 20-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. Pickens entered the game wearing Eye Black with an aggressive message about always being open, raising expectations for a big performance. However, he finished with just three catches for 26 receiving yards.

It was a disappointing outing for Pickens, not just in terms of production, but also due to his attitude and effort. Throughout the game, he appeared frustrated with his lack of involvement, something Steelers fans have seen before when he’s not targeted early. Pickens was also seen jogging on routes and giving minimal effort at times.

He ran the fewest routes of his career, leaving fans puzzled. Head Coach Mike Tomlin explained it as load management, but many Steelers fans believe Pickens was being disciplined. Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith addressed the media on Thursday to discuss why Pickens’ role was limited during the Cowboys game.

"That goes into any game plan with certain players. You’re trying to maximize snaps. Different lifetime, but I have certainly done it with other premium players. I’ve done it with Derrick Henry. He wanted to be out there every play, but he wasn’t out there all third downs. He got plenty of touches."

Smith didn’t suggest there was any intentional effort to reduce Pickens’ involvement. Instead, he pointed to the game plan they chose to implement against the Cowboys. 

Still, it’s hard to understand why the team wouldn’t have their best offensive weapon on the field for the majority of plays. Smith went on to explain why he believes Pickens was, in fact, involved a fair amount, expressing confidence that the receiver had a significant role in the game plan.

"I did it with AJ Brown early. There’s certain things you try to mix and match and maximize things or set things up. That was a little bit early. He still played the majority of the snaps. According to one metric, he was seventh in targets in passing downs or passing opportunities in the league."

Smith did his best to explain the game plan without revealing too much, but his explanation didn’t offer much clarity on why Pickens had such a limited role. While it didn’t fully address the situation, it did shed some light on the thought process behind the decision.

"I get it, you lose a game and something may look off or whatever, but you communicate to any player, whether it’s Scotty [Miller] or Van [Jefferson] or Connor Heyward. You guys know the roles and how we package things. That’s the best way I can answer it."

Smith's reasoning was perfectly aligned with what Tomlin said after the game. While many have speculated that Pickens might be in some sort of trouble with the team—possibly being punished for his reduced playing time—both Tomlin and now Smith have insisted that’s not the case.

Steelers' George Pickens Has Been "Late To Work" Several Times In 2024

Still, something seems off with Pickens. Reports have surfaced that he’s been late to work multiple times already this season, which could explain his limited action. Another possible factor is the videos showing him giving minimal effort on certain routes.

It’s possible the Steelers reduced his workload to encourage more effort on fewer routes, but it may have backfired, as he appeared to give even less effort with fewer opportunities. 

How the Steelers choose to handle him going forward will be interesting to watch. Pickens has clearly upset some within the organization. Despite being the team’s most talented offensive weapon, his behavior is starting to frustrate the fans as well.

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