Former MVP Defends Steelers WR George Pickens

The former NFL quarterback had big-time praise for the Pittsburgh Steelers star.

Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) runs after a catch against the Baltimore Ravens during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Steelers suffered a brutal loss to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football, falling 24-19 in a snow-filled game.

Following the last ditch effort by quarterback Russell Wilson on a hail mary pass, Steelers wide receiver George Pickens got into it with Browns defensive back Greg Newsome II. Whether warranted or not, it was a bad look for both teams at the end of an energy-filled game. Following the game, Newsome II called Pickens "fake tough" which has sparked conversations about the star receivers behavior.

Former NFL MVP and quarterback Cam Newton took to ESPN's First Take to defend Pickens and explain his place on the team.

"He's a crash-out. We love him. He's the dog on the team. Is he fake tough? No, he's a dog, official dog," Newton said. "When I look at the health of a healthy team, there are certain things that you need. You need guys like George Pickens. They're the quote unquote very talented, rebellious guys that give you that grit, that toughness. So the thing about that is you can't have too many George Pickens on your team because it's going to make it undisciplined. You need just a great mixture of crash-outs or rebellious guys and choir boys."

While the team has performed well in every sense of the word up to this point, they have struggled to deal with adversity when it occurs. All three of their losses are to teams in the bottom half of teams and their inability to take care of business has left analysts and fans alike confused about where they truly stand among the rest of the league.

Pickens is no different from the rest of the team in that regard. There are some games where he is truly one of the best receivers in the league and others where he feels invisible.

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