George Pickens delivered a frank assessment of the Pittsburgh Steelers after their season came to an end Saturday.
The Steelers were eliminated from the playoffs on wild-card weekend after suffering a one-sided 28-14 loss to their bitter AFC North rivals, Baltimore Ravens.
The Steelers have now lost six straight playoff games, which is tied for the longest active postseason losing streak.
Pittsburgh has also now had eight straight non-losing seasons without a playoff win, which is the longest streak by any team in the Super Bowl era.
The Steelers have consistently flattered to deceive during the regular season in recent years, only to prove themselves as Super Bowl pretenders once the postseason rolls around.
As a result, frustrations are boiling over in Pittsburgh with head coach Mike Tomlin under increasing scrutiny.
George Pickens also struggled to hide his frustrations post-game against the Ravens.
The talented but troubled wide receiver has been with the Steelers since 2022 and is supposed to be quarterback Russell Wilson‘s most dependable pass-catching option.
He has led the team in receiving yards this season and shown flashes of brilliance, but has also struggled at times to keep his emotions in check, clashing with fans after a recent defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals.
He was asked during his post-game press conference whether he’s seen signs of growth in the Pittsburgh offense.
“Yeah, I’ve seen signs of growth, for sure,” Pickens told reporters. “From past — first year I’ve been here, just way more growth, for sure.”
Asked if he feels optimistic about the future, he bluntly replied, “Uh, nah.”
NFL legend Shannon Sharpe caught wind of Pickens’ comments and responded on his ‘Nightcap’ podcast.
Sharpe said it was just the latest example of the wideout being ‘a pouting diva’ who doesn’t consistently give his all for the team.
“You know you can’t say that,” Sharpe said.
“I mean, look, I understand the frustration, but a part of being professional is sometimes you gotta just bite your tongue…
You don’t always have to tell the truth considering your past record and what you’ve been doing on the field.
“It’s the wrong message.”
‘Nightcap’ co-host Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson pushed back on Sharpe, saying he likes the message from Pickens.
However, Sharpe wasn’t having it, responding, “Well, I’m not optimistic that he’s ever going to be anything but a pouting diva.
“Doesn’t give effort on every play… I don’t want it to be one-sided that the players get to tell the truth, but the team and other players don’t get to tell the truth about said player.”
“It would have showed a lot of growth and a lot of maturity if he’d have just framed it and said, ‘yeah… I see the growth in this offense, I’m a young player myself, there are some things that I need to do better, but I’m growing right along with it.’
“All the while, in the back of his mind thinking, ‘this offense ain’t really for me. It doesn’t really showcase what I do.’
Sharpe added that he thinks Pickens’ team needs to sit him down and explain what he should and shouldn’t be telling the media.
“Somebody just needs to get with George, sit down and talk to him and explain to him, ‘George, you make it really hard for fans to put their arms around you when they see you quit on plays, when they see you give a lackadaisical effort, when they see you’re not hustling, when you’re not getting the ball.’
“It’s really hard to embrace you, because the one thing Steelers fans want guys to give is effort.
“He has to be an adult. He has to do the right things. A part of doing the right things is saying the right things. When to say what to say, how to say it.”
Pickens finished the 2024 regular-season with 59 catches for 900 yards and three touchdowns, down from his 2023 numbers of 63 for 1,140 yards and five scores.
He had five catches for 87 yards and a touchdown in the playoff loss at Baltimore.
The talented 23-year-old has recorded at least 50 catches and 800 yards in all three of his NFL seasons, having emerged as the top receiving threat in Pittsburgh, but clearly issues are there.
Pickens is under contract through 2025, and has just wrapped up the third year of his rookie deal, which is typically when players are offered long-term extensions.
The Steelers have a big decision to make this offseason while Pickens himself will have to decide whether he wants to stick around in Pittsburgh or hold out for a new deal from a new team.
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