Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, George Pickens certainly made a name for himself during his rookie season in 2022. Whether it was for his larger-than-life personality, insane contested catches, or his passionate pleas to have the ball thrown his way, he catches people's eyes.
His eye-catching behavior got not only Pittsburgh's attention, but the attention of the whole NFL while he was being drafted. Pickens at 6'3" and 195 lbs. was a stand-out at the University of Georgia. As a freshman, he led the team with 49 receptions, 727 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns.
In 2021, he tore his ACL and missed most of the season. However, he returned for the last four games as soon as he was able. Fans of Pickens noted that he was being a team player. He wanted to ensure Georgia made the College Football Championship game and that he was able to contribute if needed. And contribute he did; he made one of his well-known, body-extending catches, for 52 yards to help his team win.
During the NFL Combine, Pickens ran a 4.47 40-yard dash, had a 33" vertical jump, and a 10.5" broad jump. He was given credit for his quickness and agility, his strong hands, and his ability to separate from defenders. Despite the positive reports out of the combine and the way teams saw him perform on tape, there were mixed predictions on where he would go in the NFL Draft. Many felt he should be a round one selection and others had him dropping further down into the second or even third round.
The Steelers ultimately drafted him in the second round and while he was thrilled to be selected by Pittsburgh, Pickens felt he deserved to go in the first round. Recently Pickens talked about his feelings regarding where he was drafted and his viral reaction that made him an internet sensation.
Steelers' Pickens Gets A Suggestion For His Newest Touchdown Celebration
Pickens appeared on the All Things Covered podcast which is hosted by his fellow teammate Patrick Peterson and former Steelers cornerback, Bryant McFadden. They asked him to explain what happened on draft night and how he went viral.
"That was one for the ages, one for the books. Initially, I was a little salty, I thought I was going in the first round. I had a clean suit with the loafers on, I'm looking clean. When that first day went by, I went in my bed and I slept, I was telling myself, 'I'm not gonna put nothing on the second day.' I decided I'm just going to give the team that gets me the best version of me and that's where you guys see the ski mask, the white t-shirt."
While he was a bit "ticked off" to have not been selected the first day, he said that it was all just him trying to be funny, troll a little bit. He said he loves to take something a little negative and turn it into a positive, which is what he did.
What they were referring to is the viral tweet that went around from Pickens. He is standing in front of his TV, in his living room, in plain pants and a white t-shirt with the famous ski mask on. Then, as if the clothes and setting weren't enough, his posture is what makes the tweet elite. This gives McFadden a brilliant idea.
"George, I got something for you, that pose went viral, that should be your touchdown celebration," McFadden expressed. "Score a touchdown and strike the pose because everybody knows it, there's no question, that's one nobody else can do. You were the first person to do it and when we see it, we know what it is."
McFadden and Peterson both agree that Pickens needs to save it for when he gets to his 10th touchdown. They both predict that he will have a big year in 2023 and both expect him to score over 10 touchdowns. Pickens admits that he likes McFadden's celebration idea.
"No question, I'm jacking that. Y'all gonna see when I score, that's gonna be the new celly [celebration]."
So far during the 2023 offseason, Pickens seems to be impressing fans and analysts alike. He made an incredible catch over the head of Joey Porter Jr. one day at camp and has been showing he's hungry to be successful. The Steelers seem to have a lot of offensive weapons and Pickens looks to be a powerful one.
How many touchdowns do you think Pickens will score this season? What do you think of his new touchdown celebration idea?
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