Steelers Could Get "Jesus Christ Himself" And George Pickens Wouldn't Listen To Him

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a reputation for finding talented wide receivers, including ones with some diva-like tendencies, and knowing exactly when it is time to cut the cord. It was evident with Antonio Brown, who they managed well for the first several seasons of his career. However, Brown's ever-increasing antics seemed to put fans on edge so that with JuJu Smith-Schuster, they weren't so tolerant. This led to concerns about how they would fare with George Pickens, who had a reputation at Georgia for being a bit of a hothead.   

Pickens' actions at Georgia, as well as an ACL injury, caused him to fall to the second round in 2022, despite him possibly being the top talent in his class. His time in Pittsburgh has been a three-year roller coaster. He never seems to be able to keep his head down and work. Pickens is consistently a part of negative headlines - giving up on plays, refusing to block, wearing controversial eye black, fighting with opponents, and trying to fight fans; it hasn't stopped. 

As he enters the final season of his rookie contract, everyone wants to know if they will offer him an extension, or let him play out his contract. They surprised many by not offering an extension to former first-round pick Najee Harris in 2024. However, many experts are concerned that Pickens' behavior will escalate if he doesn't have the security blanket of a new contract. Some think the Steelers should either trade him or extend him. 

Regardless of what the Steelers do with Pickens, they still have to find at least one solid receiver to add to the room. Undoubtedly, they suffered without a talented wide receiver two (WR2) alongside Pickens last season. Now, they will also need depth. Chris Mack, the co-host of Kaboly and Mack, asked Mark Kaboly from The Pat McAfee Show about getting a veteran receiver who could come in and possibly mentor Pickens.  

"Jesus Christ himself could come down off of Mount Sinai; I don't know if that's a legit term I should be using, if that's correct, and George would not listen to him," said Kaboly emphatically. "Nobody. Don't worry about it. Get a guy who can play."

Kaboly might have been using the wrong Biblical metaphor, Mount Sinai was where Moses reportedly brought down the 10 Commandments, but he might not be wrong about Pickens. He joined a team that already had Diontae Johnson on its roster. Johnson had his flaws, but he took a lot of criticism for being a bad influence on Pickens. However, the Steelers traded Johnson away before the 2024 season, and Pickens' antics seemed to escalate. 

In 2025, the Steelers didn't find a strong number two passing target, but they did bring in several veteran depth pieces, like Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins, and Mike Williams. None of them were able to have a huge impact, however. In addition, fans saw other teammates stepping in and trying to reason with Pickens, such as Pat Freiermuth and Russell Wilson. If the people who are his friends and teammates can't connect with him, then how could someone totally new make a difference?

Steelers' Mike Tomlin Isn't Worried About Finding New Receivers

Kaboly said that throughout this situation, he is constantly reminded of how Head Coach Mike Tomlin said receivers are a dime a dozen. Kaboly said that tells him they believe they can just use them up for four years, toss them out, and go find a new one. That's why he was shocked to see so many people interpret Omar Khan's comment about having a good exit meeting with Pickens as a sign they plan to extend him. Kaboly said he did not take it to mean that at all. He pointed out that the team doesn't typically extend their receivers unless things are going exceptionally well, like with Hines Ward or even Brown or Johnson initially. 

Do you think there is a veteran receiver who could reach Pickens? Tell us what you think below!

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