Steelers wide receiver George Pickens has been the subject of much discussion about whether his off-the-field issues outweigh his impressive talent. And that was without knowing all of the off-field issues that have arisen with Pickens this season.
According to TheAthletic.com, Pickens arrived late at the Steelers’ Christmas game against the Chiefs, arriving at the stadium only after the Steelers had submitted their inactive list. According to the report, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told each player to be there at least two hours before kickoff, but Pickens arrived an hour and 25 minutes before kickoff .
Despite this, Pickens started the game and had the most snaps and the most targets of any wide receiver on the team. This issue with Pickens is described in the report as a sign that Tomlin has let things get out of hand and that it is time for the Steelers to move on from Pickens, who is entering the fourth and final season of his rookie contract.
Pickens’ attitude during the Chiefs game had already raised eyebrows because after the Steelers’ loss, Pickens made a point of approaching Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce to congratulate them as they were recognized on the Netflix broadcast like the players of the match. Some interpreted this as a sign that Pickens wanted to be traded to the Chiefs.
Tomlin said he wants his players to be volunteers and not hostages, which would indicate that if Pickens wants to be traded, Tomlin could grant that request. But Pickens also led the Steelers with 900 receiving yards this season despite missing three games. He is their most talented receiver, and losing him would be a huge blow to the offense.
The Steelers, however, might decide that if they want to build a team capable of actually winning in the playoffs, they need all-in players, and that Pickens hasn’t fully bought into.
