Former Steelers Rival Gives Advice to George Pickens

The former Pittsburgh Steelers AFC North rival has words for the struggling wide receiver.

Dec 1, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) runs the ball in for a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the NFL's most exciting up-and-coming wide receivers in George Pickens. But with continual character concerns, everyone is talking about whether or not the 23-year-old is going to cause issues as the team makes a push for the AFC North crown.

Against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13, Pickens was nearly disqualified with two unsportsmanlike conduct penalities. Fortuntely, the for the Steelers, the second did not count toward disqualification, but afterward, head coach Mike Tomlin made it known that it didn't change how he felt about the manner.

"He's just got to grow up man," Tomlin said. "This is an emotional game, man, these divisional games are big. He got a target on his back because he's George, he understands that, but he's got to grow up. He's got to grow up in a hurry."

Now, for Steelers rival and current analyst Chad Johnson is looking to help Pickens. Speaking on his podcast, Nightcap, Johnson said he plans to speak with Pickens about the character issues, hoping to guide him to improve.

"I’m gonna talk to him," Johnson said. "Take some of that fun, some of that energy that you display, that you’re being penalized for and turn that into entertainment. It’s OK being the villain. Embrace being the villain, enjoy being the villain. But do it in a way that is organized chaos within the game of football."

The Steelers will need Pickens, who currently sits 8th in the NFL in receiving yards, as they move through a difficult schedule. This isn't the first time his attitude or on-field issues has been a problem for Pittsburgh, with sideline situations and questions about effort being brought up last year. But his response was a nearly-200 yard game against the Bengals.

Maybe, the Steelers will get that response once again this season - and it'll stay through their playoff run.

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