Steelers wide receiver George Pickens has been the topic of much discussion about whether his off-field issues outweigh his impressive talent. And that was without knowing all the off-field issues that transpired with Pickens this season.
According to TheAthletic.com, Pickens showed up late to the Steelers’ Christmas game against the Chiefs, not arriving at the stadium until after the Steelers had submitted their inactive list. According to the report, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told every player to be there at least two hours before kickoff, but Pickens arrived an hour and 25 minutes before kickoff.
Despite that, Pickens started the game and got the most snaps and most targets of any wide receiver on the team. That issue with Pickens is portrayed in the report as a sign that Tomlin has let things get out of control, and that it’s time for the Steelers to move on from Pickens, who is moving into the fourth and final season of his rookie contract.
Pickens’ attitude at the Chiefs game had already raised eyebrows because after the Steelers lost, 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 as the players of the game. Some interpreted that as a sign that Pickens wants to be traded to the Chiefs.
Tomlin has said he wants his players to be volunteers, not hostages, which would indicate that if Pickens does want to be traded, Tomlin may grant that request. But Pickens also led the Steelers with 900 receiving yards this season despite missing three games. He’s their most talented receiver, and losing him would be a blow to the offense.
The Steelers, however, may decide that if they want to build a team that can actually win in the playoffs, they need players who are all-in, and that Pickens has not fully bought in.