One thing that many fans struggle to grasp is that in the National Football League, not all players are equal. That notion – which starts at the earliest levels of football – is antiquated and it always has been. In other words, the more talented and valuable you are, the more tolerance there will be for your transgressions. The Pittsburgh Steelers have seen this with many players during their 90 plus seasons and they find themselves here once again with George Pickens.
When Antonio Brown was in the Steel City, it wasn’t a secret that he received such treatment. Mike Tomlin once stated and I’m paraphrasing here, that when a player’s off field issues start to outweigh their on field contributions, then it’s time to move on. I can’t tell you everything but what I can say is that Antonio Brown was a handful from the get go and Tomlin was as masterful as he could be until things finally reached a head and Brown was traded.
The question now is whether George Pickens is getting to that point.
Pickens is as talented athletically as any receiver I’ve ever seen. His catch radius is as wide as the Ohio River and his ability to make the tough catches is outstanding. He’s also the victim of very average quarterback play and offensive coordinators who can’t seem to scheme plays to get him the ball. In other words, I understand his frustration.
On the other side of the equation is Pickens’ behavior. While he hasn’t been pulled over for speeding on McKnight Road or been found throwing items from a balcony, there are questions about his effort and commitment. One could say there are also questions about his judgment. Wearing eye black that reads “Always F***ing Open” isn’t the smartest move and now the NFL is investigating. Furthermore, I’m stunned that not one player or coach or team official chose to say anything.
We are also hearing reports that Pickens is showing up late to meetings again as he did last season. We are hearing that he’s not putting in the necessary work to prepare for games too. In other words, “snap management” had nothing to do with him being overused or tired. Instead, it was discipline that clearly Pickens didn’t get as he slammed his helmet down causing it to bounce over the bench.
Ask yourself… Is Pickens going to get a second contract from the Steelers? Personally I say “no.” It’s really for the best that he gets a fresh start somewhere with a team that knows how to actually use him and its a fresh start for the Steelers who need to draft guys more concerned with the ‘team’ than they are with their own stats.
