PITTSBURGH -- The 2024 NFL season was always going to be a pivotal one for Pittsburgh Steelers receiver George Pickens.
Historically, when the Steelers have drafted a talented player who thrives on the field, the organization has tried to sign him to an extension with one year remaining on his rookie contract, before he can reach free agency. That approach set the stage for Pickens' third season, presenting him an opportunity to prove he's worth a big-money deal.
When it comes to on-field production, Pickens has only begun to unlock his enormous potential. Even in a run-first offense, he ranks eighth in the NFL in receiving yards (850) this season. That's just behind Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb, who has 880 receiving yards in the first year of a four-year, $136 million contract, and just ahead of Amon-Ra St. Brown, who has 820 receiving yards in the first year of his four-year, $120 million deal.
If stats and talent were the only variables in this conversation, it would be easy to imagine the Steelers locking up Pickens long-term, especially considering the question marks elsewhere at receiver and the significant role Pickens plays even when he's not getting the ball.
"The momentum of the team really gets driven by (Pickens)," Bengals coach Zac Taylor said on the first episode of "Hard Knocks: In Season." "If he creates big plays, it kind of sparks their offense."
But those aren't the only variables at play. Even before Pickens entered the league, questions about his maturity and on-field antics made him a lightning rod. In college at Georgia, Pickens retaliated against Georgia Tech defensive back Tre Swilling by throwing two punches, grabbing Swilling by the face mask and dragging him into a padded wall behind the end zone, drawing an ejection.
Over his first three seasons in the NFL, Pickens has repeatedly had similar emotional outbursts and drawn penalties and criticism. Last season, he sparked headlines when he failed to block for running back Jaylen Warren near the goal line. His excuse, that he didn't want to get hurt, only intensified the scrutiny.
This year, even as Pickens has ascended into a star, his questionable decision-making has continued. He wrote "OPEN F -- ING ALWAYS" on his eye black for a prime-time game against the Dallas Cowboys, a violation of the NFL's policy against personal messages. Later in the game, when Pickens' frustrations bubbled over, the Steelers appeared to limit his reps to send a message, even though coach Mike Tomlin said Pickens played less than Calvin Austin III and Van Jefferson in the name of "snap management." Pickens ended the game by dragging an opponent down by his face mask, drawing a fine.
The past two weeks in particular, Pickens' on-field outbursts have stirred up this discussion. At the end of the snowy game against the Cleveland Browns in Week 12, Pickens was the intended receiver on a Hail Mary. Instead of making a play on the ball, he got tangled up with Browns defensive back Greg Newsome II. The scuffle continued through the back of the end zone until officials and stadium personnel separated the players.
After the game, Pickens continued to chirp at the Browns.
"Conditions played a huge, huge part in today's game," Pickens said. "I don't really think the Cleveland Browns are a good team at all. I think the conditions kind of saved them today."
Later that week when asked about the dustup with Newsome, Pickens went full Marshawn Lynch, answering questions by saying, "I'm just here so I won't get fined."
Most recently, in a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, Pickens was flagged twice for unsportsmanlike conduct: first for dropping a football on a Bengals defender, and later for making what the officials deemed to be a finger-gun gesture (Pickens maintained he was signaling first down). He also punted the football into the stands to celebrate his touchdown, which could draw another fine.
Broderick Jones, a former college teammate at Georgia, pulled Pickens aside after the second penalty to help calm him down.
"I just know he has so many guys in his ear, so I just try and talk to him," Jones said. "I don't try and give him a whole speech or whatnot. Just a couple words of encouragement. 'Just be smart, because everybody knows you're a playmaker.' You just got to stop the stupid things. That's with me too, as well. He talks to me as well. So I try and do the same thing for him. We just try and keep each other in line."
Quarterback Russell Wilson has also gone to bat to defend Pickens on several occasions. He said after the Cowboys game that Pickens is a great teammate with enormous potential. He echoed similar sentiments after the Bengals game.
"I was telling him on the sideline, 'You're one of the best in the world,'" Wilson said. "'You expect to make those plays. We don't need to do anything extra, necessarily.' So he responded well to that. He knows that he can help us in such a great way."
At least publicly, Tomlin has been reluctant to acknowledge or comment on these situations. He called the media "vultures" for asking questions about Pickens' maturity last season. After the Cowboys game, the coach said he was not aware of the eye black message, and after the Browns game, Tomlin said he didn't see the scuffle with Newsome.
However, after the Bengals game, Tomlin had a notable change in tune, which makes one wonder how much more tolerance he'll have for such behavior.
"He's just gotta grow up, man," Tomlin said. "It's an emotional game. These divisional games are big. He's got a target on his back because he's George. He understands that, but he's gotta grow up. And he's gotta grow up in a hurry."
Would the Steelers be comfortable committing more than $30 million per year and $80 million in guarantees to a player whose coach says he needs to grow up in a hurry? How would Pickens prove he's grown up enough to merit that kind of contract? If the Steelers believe that investment would be too risky, would another team be interested?
Now, one might also ask: Couldn't the Steelers kick the can down the road and let Pickens play out the fourth and final year of his rookie deal without an extension? Although that's hypothetically an option, Pickens might have something to say about that.
With a booming market at the position, many receivers have skipped offseason workouts or declined to participate in training camp in recent years, trying to force their teams to hand over guaranteed money. Such was the case with former Steelers wideout Diontae Johnson when he was in the same situation entering the last year of his rookie deal. This past offseason, San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk asked for a trade (and nearly got one to Pittsburgh), eventually getting his money after months of trade rumors. Such situations can become distractions quickly.
In some ways, the Steelers' experience in similar situations could provide either a blueprint or a cautionary tale, depending on your point of view. When the Steelers extended Antonio Brown, former safety Ryan Clark said on "The Pivot Podcast," "I was like, 'He's going to be difficult to deal with when he gets his money.'" Days later, a fight ensued at practice when Brown trash-talked beloved defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.
In 2022, Johnson "held in" during training camp in the final year of his rookie deal. The Steelers rewarded him with a two-year, $36.7 million extension. He never saw the second year. After Johnson reportedly got into at least two locker room spats with teammates, Pittsburgh traded him last offseason to the Carolina Panthers.
On the flip side, the Steelers recognized that Chase Claypool was never going to realize his potential and traded him while he still had value, collecting a second-round pick from the Chicago Bears that became Joey Porter Jr. Pickens represents a different circumstance, as his talent and love for the game have never been in question. But general manager Omar Khan's history of maneuvering makes one wonder if he could see the benefit of an offseason trade instead of an extension.
Though some have questioned whether Tomlin has enabled enigmatic receivers, it appears more likely he has found a way to get the best out of these athletes in a way other coaches can't.
Brown's career went off the rails almost immediately after the Steelers traded him. Wednesday, Johnson -- who was traded to the Baltimore Ravens in October -- was suspended one game for what the club said was refusing to enter Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Claypool burned out quickly with the Bears and Miami Dolphins and is now on the Buffalo Bills' practice squad, yet to play in a game this season.
Tomlin doesn't like to discuss how he handles Pickens publicly, but "Hard Knocks" cameras captured the coach managing the receiver's emotions in Tuesday's premiere. The Bengals nabbed an interception after Pickens fell on a route -- the Steelers believed he was dragged down illegally by defensive back Cam Taylor-Britt, but no flag was thrown -- returning it for a touchdown. Tomlin put his arm around the receiver. "I need you to stay with me," Tomlin told him.
On the next drive, Pickens responded with a touchdown reception. You have to wonder whether another coach could get through to the receiver in this way.
After seeing this play out in the past, can Tomlin get Pickens to maximize his potential in Pittsburgh? Or do the risks outweigh the playmaking, even if it would be a challenge to replace Pickens?
The answers aren't easy. But soon enough, Khan and company will have to make a decision.