The Perfect Confidence Of George Pickens
Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
There’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance, and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ George Pickens is toeing it like a master of sideline catches.
The second year receiver out of Georgia frequently makes highlight-reel grabs. His acrobatic catches cause Pat McAfee to twirl his tank top in the air and say, “George Pickens has that *McAfee pause* DAAAAAAAWG in him!!”
In practice on Tuesday, Pickens was battling Joey Porter Jr. one-on-one in tight coverage. After Kenny Pickett lofted a pass down the sideline, Pickens leapt into the air and snagged it with one hand. In celebration, he dropped the ball in front of Porter and jubilantly pumped his arms.
George Pickens is a FREAKpic.twitter.com/4LLQc1riW4
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) August 1, 2023
This isn’t an isolated incident. Pickens makes full-extension catches all the time.
WHAT EVEN IS THIS CATCH GEORGE PICKENS 😱
🏈: @Steelers vs. @Browns #TNFonPrime | Watch NOW on @PrimeVideo pic.twitter.com/XWUcIhTWid
— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) September 23, 2022
The 2022 season was a down year for the Steelers’ offense. The Black and Gold combined for only 12 receiving touchdowns for the entire season (to put that in perspective, Davante Adams alone had 14). In all fairness, it was their second year in Matt Canada’s system, and the team was ushering in the Kenny Pickett era.
Even with all those growing pains, Pickens had a productive rookie campaign in 2022. He had 801 receiving yards, which was fourth among rookies and first among rookies chosen after the first round. He also had four receiving TDs, which led the team. He even added a rushing TD for funsies.
Pickens enters 2023 with a world of confidence. He is out to prove he’s a receiver on the rise. In a recent interview with The Ringer, he said that he believes that he’s “the best receiver in the world.”
“I love getting the ball, and when I’m not getting the ball I play angry so the attention is back on me.” Pickens added. “I’m big, I’m fast, low 4.4 [speed], catch radius is crazy. So every time I get out on the field, I do kind of play angry because I should get the ball on every play if you just look at the size and the frame. If I was a coach, I’d just throw to him every time. But that’s not how the NFL works. So every time I’m out there, that’s why I throw the blocks. I love getting the ball, and when I’m not getting the ball I play angry so the attention is back on me. I basically draw attention to myself.”
It’s not just Pickens who believes in his greatness. Patrick Peterson, who is almost certainly headed to Canton, compared him to one of this century’s best pass catchers:
“You don’t find many receivers that can catch the ball any kind of way. It’s just very, very hard to find those guys. He does remind me a lot of DeAndre Hopkins. Same body structure and deceptive speed to get behind you.”
The former Georgia Bulldog had the talent of a first-round pick, but slipped to 52nd in the draft due to an ACL tear in his final year and concerns about maturity. At UGA, he was suspended for punching a teammate. His own coach even said he was undisciplined.
Since he’s entered the NFL, all he’s done is dispel those concerns. While his comments could be construed as arrogant, they could also be taken as George Pickens showing belief in himself. And a lack of arrogance would be a welcome change of pace for a team whose star receivers over the last 10 years were unapologetically full of themselves. Antonio Brown was a freakish talent who now makes the world nervous every time he trends on Twitter. JuJu Smith-Schuster was a fun and incredibly likable player until his TikTok dances on opponents’ logos made him a target. And Chase Claypool once did this:
Remember when Chase Claypool celebrated a first down with 40 seconds left and cost the Steelers the game pic.twitter.com/pCocDhupZv
— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) November 1, 2022
What makes Pickens different from these guys is that he simply shows up on Sundays and does his job. He’s obviously flashy, but his production is consistent. His primary focus is maximizing his skillset while the Steelers find their way under the guidance of Kenny Pickett.
George Pickens’ unapologetic confidence in himself is going to help his developmental process. As an NFL player, you have to believe in yourself. The first step to becoming a star in the league is believing you’re the best at what you do. Pickens believes exactly that.
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