George Pickens

George Malik Pickens Jr. (born March 4, 2001) is an American football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia and was drafted by the Steelers in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Early life
Pickens attended Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama. As a senior, he had 69 receptions for 1,368 yards and 16 touchdowns. He played in the 2019 Under Armour All-American Game. A five star recruit, he originally committed to Auburn University to play college football before changing his commitment to the University of Georgia.

College career
Pickens earned immediate playing time his freshman year at Georgia in 2019, leading the team in receptions (49), receiving yards (727) and receiving touchdowns (8). In the following season Pickens caught 36 passes for 513 yards and a team-leading six touchdowns in an eight-game season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the spring of 2021, Pickens tore his ACL causing him to miss most of his junior season. He returned to play in the final four games of the year, catching just five passes, but made an important 52-yard reception in Georgia's win over Alabama in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship game. Pickens declared for the 2022 NFL Draft following the season.

2022 season
Pickens was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round (52nd overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft.

In Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns, Pickens corralled a one-handed catch while fully extending his body in the air. It was called by some the "Catch of the Year." In Week 4, against the New York Jets, he had six receptions for 102 yards in the 24–20 loss. Pickens scored his first professional touchdown during primetime in Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins. In Week 16, Pickens caught the game-winning touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders with less than a minute remaining. He finished the 2022 season with 52 receptions for 801 yards and a team-high four receiving touchdowns.

2023 season
In Week 2 of the 2023 season, Pickens had four receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Browns. In Week 5, agains the Ravens, he had six receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown in the 17–10 win. In Week 16 against the Bengals, he had four receptions for 195 yards and two touchdowns, including a 86-yard reception for a score in the first quarter. In the following game, against the Seahawks, he had seven receptions for 131 yards in the win. He finished his second NFL season with 63 receptions for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns in 17 games and 16 starts.

Pickens was on the receiving end of controversy throughout the 2023 season. After the Steelers' 20-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans, Pickens was criticized for lacking effort on the field. Throughout the previous two games, Pickens only completed three of ten receptions for 21 yards. He followed the criticism by posting on his Instagram story the words "free me" and deleted all posts related to the Steelers. Pickens defended his post by making another post on Instagram explaining that the post was not directed at the Steelers, stating it has "[nothing] to do with football."

During Week 15 against the Indianapolis Colts, Pickens was once again criticized for showing a lack of effort throughout the game, most notably not blocking for running back Jaylen Warren on what was a potential touchdown drive near the goal line. Following the game, Pickens responded to the criticism stating he was attempting to avoid injury.