Picking on Pickens: Is George Worth the Space in Your Collection?
My wife and her family hail from Western Pennsylvania and are Pittsburgh Steelers fans through and through. Her parents have had season tickets for decades now, even missing our recent family Christmas gathering to attend the Steelers vs. Chiefs game earlier this week. My wife and I make the trip to the Steel City a few times a year for key home games when we can. That being said, I might take a little heat at the next family function after writing this piece.
https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/news/pittsburgh-steelers-players-tired-george-pickens-antics
Pittsburgh Steelers third year wide receiver George Pickens has everything you would want in a potential Pro Bowl wide out.
The University of Georgia product is big, strong, and fast. He's as passionate as any player in the league. Pickens' paws (assisted by his amazing feet) will make some of the best catches you will ever see on a football field, all while playing for one of the most passionate and most collected teams in the sport, the black and yellow of the Pittsburgh Steelers. That sounds like a recipe for hobby stardom if I've ever heard it.
In a city where iron sharpens iron in real life, Pickens is surrounded by incredible offensive talent when he takes the field with future Hall of Fame quarterback Russell Wilson, running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, as well as tight end Pat Freiermuth to name a few.
So far, so good. Right?
Drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, one which also featured the most valuable Mr. Irrelevant pick in league history in San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, the draft itself consisted of a number of solid but not spectacular skill position players. If Pickens shows out enough, he could be the second most collected player in the draft. But at some point, he needs to mature and grow or, at the very least, get out of his own way.
The problems start when the extracurriculars begin, on and off the field. For as passionate as he is, he's killed a number of drives this season with immature and unnecessary penalties. For all that we love about his physicality, he doesn't need to power bomb an opposing corner 30 yards away from the play, either.
It's obvious there are some off the field issues when one of the most respected and tenured coaches in the NFL, Mike Tomlin, has his best weapon on the sidelines during key moments of games.
Pickens played just over half of the offensive snaps against the Dallas Cowboys in week five. Tomlin chalked it up to load management after the game. But in what scenario would you say your best offensive weapon on the sidelines during the middle of a playoff push?
There have been repeated reports of Pickens being late for work, ala Antonio Brown, and when pressed further, coach Tomlin said that he was concerned with Pickens not giving 100% on running routes. He's even been on record saying that Pickens needs to "grow up." Not good, not good.
There were rumors that the Steelers were interested in Davante Adams before the all-world WR followed Aaron Rodgers to New York. It's not far-fetched to think that this promising wide receiver will leave one of the sport's most storied franchises and end up somewhere in obscurity. The aforementioned Antonio Brown left the Steelers as, quite possibly, the best receiver in football, only to have his career and life go off the rails completely. (Have you looked up the price of any AB cards lately?) More recently, promising wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster left Pittsburgh for greener pastures and even though he plays for a perennial Super Bowl contender in the Kansas City Chiefs, he's not much more than an afterthought the field. (How about the prices on JuJu cards?) I hope the same fate isn't in Pickens' future.
Part of the problem of his collectability is the fact that he, unfortunately, has his cards produced right now, better known as The Junk Era 2.0. Although full of eye appeal, low-end singles are basically worthless. If you throw in some color the cards might be worth pennysleeving and toploading. No matter what he does, his mid-range, premium and super high-end cards are almost ruined by his autograph, which is one of the ugliest ever. So, aside from being a hardcore Steelers fan or George Pickens super collector chasing highs and the high end cards, is it worth even having low end stuff take up space in your collection?
I won't go out of my way to nitpick things like helmet throwing, tantrums on the sideline, vulgar words written on eye black and other actions that showcase his lack of maturity. What it does is add to the mountain of evidence indicating that this might not work out long-term for Pickens in Pittsburgh or for any collectors hoarding his cards.
Enough viral clips and Sportscenter highlights of his behavior will eventually sour fans... and collectors.
This guy's hands are more sure than Acrisure. His skill set is intoxicating, but his actions are sobering. He often walks the razors edge of earnings fan's admiration, or absolute anger. Once collectors sour to a player it becomes a life sentence that's hard to overturn.
As Mike Tomlin famously states- the standard is the standard. One thing is certain, Tomlin will continue to uphold the standard, with or without George Pickens.
Tony Reid spent more than a decade covering combat sports at the highest level. He has written hundreds of articles and conducted hundreds of interviews about sports collectibles for such publications as Beckett, Sports Collectors Digest, and Sports Collectors Daily. Reid worked full time at a sports card shop in Central Pennsylvania for a number of years. A lifelong collector, Tony treasures his rookie card collection of star players in baseball, basketball, and football. If you want to discuss the greatness of Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson or Ken Griffey Jr., you can reach him at @tonyreidwrites on all social media platforms