Steelers WR George Pickens on not making Pro Bowl roster: 'It's just politics'
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens missed out on the Pro Bowl this season. It’s a result, he says, that comes down to two things, the officiating and politics.
Pickens explained that the stats show who deserves to be in the Pro Bowl and exposes that who makes it is based on politics.
“That’s what I said today, the refs and politics,” George Pickens said. “The Pro Bowl, the stats show it’s just politics. There’s going to come a time where people are going to start watching the games and knowing that it’s political over everything — who was on the team, what type of players the team has — it’s for sure political.”
This season, George Pickens had 63 receptions for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns. The wide receivers who made the Pro Bowl from the AFC are Tyreek Hill, Amari Cooper, Keenan Allen, and Ja’Marr Chase. All four of those receivers had more receptions and yards than Pickens this season. Everyone but Cooper had more touchdowns while Cooper tied Pickens with five scores.
Of course, George Pickens isn’t the only one who has had issues with the Pro Bowl voting process. Antoine Winfield Sr. was furious that his son, Antoine Winfield Jr., didn’t make the Pro Bowl this season and felt that it was suspicious.
“Somebody has some explaining to do!!! Ain’t NO WAY in HELL Budda Baker goes to the Pro Bowl ahead of My lil man with NO STATS,” Winfield Sr. wrote. “I know the importance of ProBowls are on the resume & it just so happens to be his contract year. We ain’t going for the Bullshit. Somebody Need to Holla at me.”
Clearly, there are those who aren’t satisfied with the Pro Bowl voting process as it stands now, with several notable snubs this season.
Steelers WR George Pickens on Wild Card loss to Bills
After the Pittsburgh Steelers season came to an end with a playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills, George Pickens vented his frustrations with how the game was officiated.
“You can’t play the Bills and the refs at the same time,” Pickens said after the game. “When you go out there and try to make a play and they’re taking away calls, throwing a clear pass over Myles Jack‘s head and they threw a PI — it’s not catchable. So when guys go back to watch the film, watch the refs.”
The play that Pickens is talking about specifically resulted in a turnover on downs. That, in turn, made a comeback attempt almost impossible for Pittsburgh.