George Pickens admits he's frustrated, says social media scrubbing has 'nothing to do with the Steelers'
Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) receiver George Pickens spoke to the media Wednesday in part to address why he scrubbed his social media clean of any Steelers content last Friday.
Pickens admitted he’s been frustrated at his lack of production recently, though he said his Instagram cleanse had “nothing to do with the Steelers at all.”
“Just clearing out my page, scrubbing it, not too crazy,” Pickens said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. “It’s got nothing to do with the Steelers at all.”
Head coach Mike Tomlin downplayed the significance of Pickens deleting Steelers content on his Instagram.
“Like breathing, it’s easy,” Tomlin said Tuesday. “I know it’s a cute story for you guys, but it is a pebble in my shoe, to be quite honest with you, in terms of the things that I have to do in an effort to get this group ready to play this week.
“Our focus is on the Green Bay Packers and what we’re all going to do in this football game. And I can’t state it any plainer than that. It’s like reality television, the way you guys follow social media and write stories about it.”
George Pickens takes back seat to Diontae Johnson in Weeks 8 and 9
Pickens, the 2022 second-round pick out of Georgia, has sparsely been involved in the offense over the past two games. After back-to-back 100-yard games in Weeks 5 and 7, Pickens has hauled in just three of his 10 targets for 21 yards, including a two reception, minus-one yard performance in the 20-16 Week 9 victory over the Tennessee Titans (3-5) Thursday.
Pickens’ struggles have coincided with the return of fellow receiver Diontae Johnson‘s return to the lineup. Johnson, Pittsburgh’s leading receiver each of the last three seasons, missed four games with a hamstring injury. In three games since being back, he has hauled in 20 receptions for 254 yards and a touchdown. Pickens, meanwhile, has reeled in eight catches for 128 yards and a score.
Running back Najee Harris said he spoke to Pickens at halftime of the game against Tennessee, and stressed to him that defenses are going to continue to gameplan around his talents.
“I talked to him at halftime… They’re not just going to let you blow up the stat sheet,” Harris said. “They’re not going to let you be a game-wrecker.”