Steelers wide receiver George Pickens took exception to an NFL trade rumor linking him away from Pittsburgh. But in the process, he may unwittingly have revealed his burner account on X.
Was George Pickens’ Burner Just Spotted?
Often the subject of trade speculation over the past two offseasons, Pickens seems to have taken murmurs about his future to heart, judging from his response to an Instagram graphic by The 33rd Team.
George Pickens on IG on the trade idea from the 33rd Team: “Via : Me.. these pages are not in the building . Or any facility 🤨. Just stop lying for clicks and views my brotha 👍🏾” #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/3q2a1MSJd6
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) January 22, 2025
The aforementioned outlet posted a carousel of five trade ideas for NFL contenders. One of those ideas was about the Commanders acquiring Pickens for a 2025 second-round pick. Pickens hopped onto the page comments and denied any such discussions point blank, stating:
“Via: Me…these pages are not in the building. Or any facility. Just stop lying for clicks and views my brotha.”
An aggregator on X also picked up this carousel (which was based on an article from the same outlet) and posted it, prompting a reaction from a handle named Michael Brewerly in the replies. However, the aggregators (MLFootball) also received a DM from the handle with words spoken about Pickens in the first person:
“This click shi getting old bro..keep my name out of it.”
GEORGE PICKENS IS NOT HAPPY TO BE IN TRADE TALKS.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 22, 2025
The wording makes it almost definitive that Pickens is the one operating the handle going by Michael Brewerly. A glance through the tweets made from the account shows that it mainly posts about the Georgia product.
fans stay seeing a dude who hates losing and call him a diva
— Michael Brewerly (@michaelbrewerly) January 15, 2025
14 isn’t going anywhere bro… these what ifs and sources doin to much smh
— Michael Brewerly (@michaelbrewerly) January 22, 2025
Judging from replies on January 11, some fans have been speculating about Michael Brewerly’s identity since before.
However, without a real confirmation from the source, we cannot safely say whether it’s a real burner or if it’s an elaborate troll baiting people into noticing him by impersonating Pickens.
Why Is Pickens Being Linked to a Move Away From Pittsburgh?
One of the long-running themes about Pickens’ stint with the Steelers so far has been his dissatisfaction with their offense. The Georgia wide receiver has not had a stable quarterback situation or a well-built offensive playbook fully utilizing him.
The Steelers’ quarterback situation, in particular, has been a big problem. None of Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Justin Fields, or even Russell Wilson has been able to consistently make the throws that keep the offense on the field.
As a result, Pickens has had some meltdowns and moments of frustration, both on and off the field. When the third-year player was asked about his optimism regarding their offense after their playoff exit, he replied in the negative.
Matt Canada was long maligned for his offensive play-calling, but Arthur Smith hasn’t covered himself in glory in 2024, either.
Ultimately, having a marquee WR like Pickens and wasting his talents with a subpar aerial game can be counterproductive, which is why many have linked him to a move away from Pittsburgh. For now, however, Pickens is almost certain not to be traded to Washington — at least according to Michael Brewerly.
