George Pickens makes eyebrow-raising comments on Steelers future after early playoff exit

Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens had a great rebound game in Sunday's wild card game at the Baltimore Ravens, catching five passes for a game-high 87 yards and a touchdown in a 28-14 loss. But that does not mean he is happy.

During his post-game media availability, the wide receiver said that while he acknowledged incremental improvements that the team had made under first-year offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, it might not be enough for him to decide to stay:

"I'm really just thinking about right now to be honest. I can't even think about the future. I am just thinking about what just happened.

"I seen signs of growth for sure from the first year I have been here. Just way more growth for sure."

And when he was asked about whether that made him optimistic going forward, the Steelers WR said,

"Nah."

---

Mark Schlereth blames Mike Tomlin for George Pickens' behavior

Throughout his career, George Pickens has had his fair share of controversial moments. However, these really became a very hot topic in 2024 as the Steelers' performance vacillated from "title contenders" to "just hanging on to a favorable position".

From fighting opposing defensive backs to putting up little to no effort during defeats, the three-season wideout has seemingly made himself the latest in a group of "divas" that have come to define the Steelers' positional corps ever since the retirement of Hines Ward. And Super Bowl-winning guard Mark Schlereth hates it.

Speaking on 93.7 The Fan, he said that it reeked of selfishness - not a trait that is expected of players on championship-caliber teams:

"Great things happen when you care more about the people you play for than you do about youself. And I doubt George Pickens cares about anybody more than himself. That's a recipe for losing. Those are things that I just can't tolerate."

He continued by chastising Mike Tomlin for not being able to instill discipline in his charge:

"You cannot let that guy become a distraction. I understand he's a world-class talent. I don't care. That's a level of selfishness, and you wonder why you don't win championships. You wonder why you can't win a playoff game."

Throughout the 2024 regular season and playoffs combined, George Pickens finished with a total of 64 receptions for 987 yards and four touchdowns.