The Pittsburgh Steelers are hoping 2025 is the year mercurial wide receiver George Pickens finally puts it all together and reaches his immense potential. Owner and team president Art Rooney II said Monday that while Pickens is “a very talented player,” the 26-year-old pass catcher still has plenty of room for growth as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.
“George is a very talented player who has room to grow,” Rooney said in his end-of-season press conference. “And we’d like to see him grow, and hopefully he realizes the potential that he has, but there’s definitely room for growth there.”
Head coach Mike Tomlin expressed similar sentiments two weeks ago, acknowledging that Pickens made some strides in his third NFL season but emphasizing “there’s a heck of a lot more ground to be covered.” The Steelers’ 2022 second-round pick flashed his tantalizing talent at times in 2024, finishing with 900 yards and three touchdowns on 59 receptions despite missing three games to injury.
Incidents Overshadow Production
However, Pickens’ on-field achievements were often overshadowed by maturity concerns and off-field incidents. The 6-foot-3 wideout drew Tomlin’s ire in December when he was flagged for two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in a win over the rival Bengals. Pickens also arrived at the stadium less than 90 minutes before kickoff in a Christmas Day game against the Chiefs.
“Every team seems to have one or two guys in that room that are — you have to manage them correctly,” Rooney said. “I still think George has enough talent that we’ve got to try to work and see if we can get him to reach his, fulfill the talent that he really has. Who knows if we can get there, we’ll see.”
– Art Rooney II on George Pickens
The supremely gifted Pickens has undoubtedly shown the ability to be a game-changing playmaker, but his immaturity and inconsistency have thus far prevented him from ascending to the ranks of the NFL’s elite receivers. In three seasons, Pickens has yet to top 1,000 yards or make a Pro Bowl.
- 2022 stats (rookie year): 52 rec, 801 yds, 4 TD
- 2023 stats: 63 rec, 879 yds, 5 TD
- 2024 stats: 59 rec, 900 yds, 3 TD (13 games)
Entering Pivotal Contract Year
Pickens is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie deal in 2025. Rooney said the Steelers have not yet engaged in any extension talks with their mercurial wideout. The team will surely want to see more maturity and consistency from Pickens before committing to him long-term.
“When you have guys that are as talented as some of the guys you’re probably thinking of, you try to work with them and have them help you be successful,” Rooney said, likely alluding to some of the off-field issues that have plagued other star Steelers receivers like Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant in the past.
If Pickens can put it all together in 2025 – cutting out the antics and letting his immense talent shine through on a week-to-week basis – he could be in line for a massive payday. But based on Rooney’s and Tomlin’s comments, it’s clear the Steelers want to see Pickens grow up and reach his sky-high potential before making any sort of long-term investment.
2025 will be a defining season for George Pickens to prove he can be a franchise cornerstone in Pittsburgh for years to come. The talent is clearly there. But can the 26-year-old phenom finally put all the pieces together consistently? The Steelers are hoping the answer is yes.
