Steelers coach Mike Tomlin usually does a very good job of keeping problems quiet and contained. That approach didn’t work with receiver George Pickens.
The signs had been there, for a while, that it wasn’t going to end with Pickens signing a second (or third) contract and becoming one of the all-time franchise greats.
We’ll go back to the 2023 season. His frustrations during a Thursday night game against the Titans became a multi-day talking point for the Steelers. He promptly removed all references to the team from his Instagram page. Tomlin called the situation a “pebble in my shoe.”
It was the moment it seemed apparent that, in time, the relationship would end.
The vibe lasted through 2023 and 2024. The indications became even stronger late last season. After a game against the Bengals during which Pickens drew two personal fouls, Tomlin said this: “He’s just got to grow up, man. This is an emotional game, man. These divisional games are big. He’s 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.”
That was December 1. After a Christmas Day home loss to the Chiefs, Pickens interrupted the big-ass red coat interviews of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce for hugs and hellos. It came off as a “come get me” gesture to the best team in the AFC. The scene prompted us to ask whether team and player were headed for a divorce.
Then, after the wild-card playoff loss to the Ravens, Pickens was asked whether he’s optimistic about the team’s offense moving forward.
“Uh, nah,” he said.
While things got quiet from Pickens’s perspective after that (but for his draft-week decision to unfollow the Steelers on social media), it got very loud when the Steelers traded for receiver DK Metcalf and signed him to a five-year, $150 million contract. It meant that Pickens wouldn’t be getting a similar deal from the Steelers, ever.
It also meant that, during his contract year, he’d be relegated from WR1 to WR2 — and that his targets would yield to the effort to justify paying Metcalf $30 million per year.
So, yes, this was coming. Even if, as some are suggesting, Pickens didn’t ask to be traded, the request was implied. And pending. For a while.
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