The Pittsburgh Steelers‘ season has been all over the place. Heading into Week 16, they sit at 7-7 and are coming off of a loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
But a middling record isn’t the only thing the Steelers are struggling with — the team is battling a culture problem. Most recently, a controversy involving George Pickens has emerged.
George Pickens Blocking Controversy Explained
In the Steelers’ loss to the Colts, Pickens was seen not blocking on a run by RB Jaylen Warren. Warren was tackled inside the five-yard line, but with a block from Pickens, he might have had a chance to score.
According to Pickens, he was trying to prevent injury. “I was just trying to prevent the Tank Dell situation, the same thing that happened to him,” said Pickens. “I ain’t want to get an injury. When you stay on the block too low, you can get ran up on very easily.”
George Pickens on why he didn’t block for Warren: “I was just trying to prevent the Tank Dell situation, the same thing that happened to (him). I ain't want to get an injury. When you stay on the block too low, you can get ran up on very easily.”
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) December 19, 2023
Pickens was referring to Houston Texans WR Tank Dell, who was having a stellar rookie season before suffering a season-ending leg injury while blocking during a running play near the goal line.
In the loss to Indianapolis, Pickens caught just three passes on seven targets for 47 yards. On the season, he has caught 52 passes for 814 yards and three touchdowns.
In his 31 career games, he has 104 receptions for 1,615 yards and seven touchdowns.
Warren was later asked about Pickens’ decision not to block. “If I was in that position, I would have blocked for him,” said Warren. Warren rushed for 40 yards on 10 attempts during the game and has 119 carries for 652 yards and three touchdowns on the season.
Multiple former NFL players and analysts have spoke out about Pickens’ lack of effort. “When did this become okay in Pittsburgh?” said Dan Orlovsky on ESPN’s Get Up. “I played for organizations that weren’t good. This is the kind of stupid stuff that we did. We weren’t the Steelers.”
Ryan Clark, who played for the Steelers from 2006-2013, also spoke on it, saying there is a cancer in the room. “From Antonio Brown to JuJu [Smith-Schuster] to Chase Claypool to Diontae [Johnson] and now to George Pickens there’s been a cancer in that room,” said Clark.
Ryan Clark on the Steelers Receivers:
“From Antonio Brown to JuJu to Chase Claypool to Diontae and now to George Pickens there's been a cancer in that room."#steelers
🎥@ESPNNFL pic.twitter.com/B8OM02lirO
— Matthew Luciow (@matthewluciow92) December 21, 2023
Pickens was drafted in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Georgia. He had 90 receptions for 1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns over his three seasons with the Bulldogs and missed much of the 2021 season with an ACL tear.
The Steelers have three remaining games in 2023, where they will face the Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks, and Baltimore Ravens. Pittsburgh likely needs to win all three if they want to make the playoffs.
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