Former Coach Sends Stern Message to Steelers' George Pickens

A former NFL head coach offered some hard-hitting guidance to Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens ahead of the playoffs.

Jan 4, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) drops a pass as he is defended by Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt (29) during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens has become infamous for his antics, and for as talented of a player as he is, he's acted as his own worst enemy in many cases.

With that being said, there's no denying his importance to the Steelers. The team's offense largely goes as he does, but the 23-year-old star can also let his frustration get the best of him at critical points.

As Pittsburgh fixates on the Baltimore Ravens and the chance to pull off an upset victory over their AFC North rivals in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, former NFL head coach Jon Gruden offered some strong-worded advice to Pickens ahead of the contest.

"Focus on the next play only and catch the ball," Gruden said during an appearance on the Clean Pocket podcast. "He's got great ability, we all know that, but golly, his attitude, man. He whines too much when he doesn't get the ball, if it's not perfect. It's not all about you, George. Run your route, catch the ball, do your job. And they have a chance. If not, zero chance against Baltimore."

Pickens missed Weeks 14 through 16 with a hamstring injury, though he hasn't quite made a thunderous return.

In a 29-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day that marked his first game back, he posted three catches for 50 yards while taking his helmet off on the field of play and seemingly not putting in full effort on one of his routes, leading to a red zone interception.

During the Week 18 regular season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals, Pickens posted just one reception for zero yards on six targets after registering three drops.

While his actions have resulted in gobs of fines and uncertainty regarding his future with the Steelers ahead of the final year of his rookie deal in 2025, the team desperately needs Pickens to round into form and rediscover himself in order to keep their season going this weekend.

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