The Pittsburgh Steelers faced a challenging season opener against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, and it appears that one star player may already be expressing frustration with the team’s offensive performance.
George Pickens, the second-year wide receiver, exhibited intriguing activity on social media following Pittsburgh’s disappointing 30-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
On one of Pickens’ posts, a comment was left that read, “Nobody to get that man the ball tho.” Pickens reacted to the comment by giving it a “like.”
Many interpreted this action as a potential dig at Kenny Pickett, the quarterback who struggled to move the ball down the field in the game.
Pickett’s stat line for the game included 31 completions out of 46 attempts, 232 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions. Pickens himself had just 5 catches for 36 yards.
While Pickens may have been subtly criticizing Pickett, it’s also plausible that he intended to convey a message to Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada. The playcalling appeared to be a problem on Sunday and played a significant role in Pittsburgh’s struggles, particularly their 5-for-15 performance on third downs.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Pickens believed that Canada didn’t adequately design plays to involve him in the offense.
Regardless of the exact motivation behind Pickens’ actions, it’s evident that he is bothered by something. The former Georgia standout is known for his ability to make big plays, and he had arguably one of the best catches of the year last season.
However, it might be more constructive for him to address his concerns privately, especially considering that this is just the first game of the season.
