Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens is under some pressure heading into the 2024 season. He has a chance to cement his status as one of the better playmakers in the NFL with the opportunity lying ahead of him.
With Diontae Johnson being traded to the Carolina Panthers, there is no debate over who the No. 1 option in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ passing game is. George Pickens is locked in as WR1.
Will he be able to succeed in such a role without much complementary help behind him? Not having other established options could make life difficult for George Pickens, as opponents will focus all of their attention on him.
Alas, that is something all the best wide receivers in the NFL deal with on a weekly basis. If he cannot beat some specialized coverages, he won’t be considered among the best in the league at his position.
However, one former NFL executive has another reason to believe that the Pittsburgh Steelers young wideout isn’t destined for greatness. During a recent appearance on 93.7 The Fan, former NFL executive Dan Whaley revealed a brutal take on George Pickens.
“I look at it this way: if he is that impressionable, you already got your answer if he’s the No. 1 or not. Jerry Rice wasn’t impressionable. Michael Irvin wasn’t impressionable.
“What I’m saying is, great players are focused on being great. They don’t like any outside or anyone else affect them trying to achieve their goal of being the best.
“And if George Pickens is being that influenced and it affects him, then you know what type of [player he is]. He’s not a No. 1, and you don’t pay him,” Whaley said.
Whaley is referencing a report that surfaced this offseason. Gerry Dulac of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette hinted that part of the reason Johnson was traded to Carolina was because he was a poor influence on George Pickens.
During the fan chat, Dulac did add that the Pittsburgh Steelers were ready to move on from Johnson regardless. And, that it is comical to believe George Pickens could be negatively influenced by a teammate.
We will never know with 100 percent certainty if the influence played a part. But, that is what Whaley is basing his comments on, as he doesn’t believe an impressionable player can rise to the level of superstardom.
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