Pittsburgh Steelers receiver George Pickens has found himself in the crosshairs of the media and, perhaps, the coaching staff after Week 5’s debacle against the Dallas Cowboys.
In the 20-17 loss, Pickens was effectively benched for stretches of the game. He had a drop, a less-than-stellar blocking performance, and blatantly quit on a handful of routes. As such, frustration has mounted in Pittsburgh about a receiver who needs to be a cog in the fragile machine that is the passing offense.
Tight end Pat Freiermuth’s comments could’ve been taken as a sign of concern, and head coach Mike Tomlin’s coy comments are indicative of a coach preferring to keep an issue in-house. But it’s too soon to say Pickens has lost the trust of his teammates.
Backup quarterback Russell Wilson stood up for the star receiver on Thursday.
“Is George a bad teammate? Absolutely not,” Wilson began, via Mark Kaboly. “Is George a hell of a player? Absolutely. Is he a great competitor? Absolutely. Is he a guy who wants the ball? Absolutely. Is he a guy who can do anything on the field that most people can’t? Absolutely.”
Those words loom large coming from a quarterback of Wilson’s stature. Sure, he’s been relegated to a second-stringer after his calf injury gave Justin Fields the chance to start, but he hasn’t lost any respect in the facility. He’s still a Super Bowl champion, one of the most respected quarterbacks in the sport, and a leader in the locker room.
Wilson was voted a captain ahead of Week 1, despite spending just a few months with the team. His endorsement is a meaningful one.
“The best thing we can focus on is finding different ways of getting him the ball,” Wilson said. “Staying composed. That matters but understanding that it is all a team effort. He has been a great teammate and we are looking forward to his best and our best. We all want to win.”
Pickens was targeted seven times in the loss, but logged just three catches for 21 yards. He remains the only plus starter the team has at receiver, and is the easy leader in targets (36) and yards (310). However, he’s yet to score a touchdown, and it’s possible offensive coordinator Arthur Smith can do more to funnel him lucrative targets.
At the very least, Pickens will be on the field on Sunday when the Steelers take on the Las Vegas Raiders in Sin City – without the services of star receiver Davante Adams. After last week’s antics, he’ll have the opportunity to redeem himself in the eyes of the Pittsburgh faithful.
