Josh Gordon offers advice to Steelers WR George Pickens

Former NFL wide receiver Josh Gordon flashed Hall-of-Fame talent during his best days with the Cleveland Browns but never reached his full potential. This was due to off-the-field issues and a handful of suspensions related to the league's substance abuse policy.

During a recent chat with Kyle Odegard of CasinoBeats, Gordon offered some advice for Steelers wideout George Pickens ahead of what could be a make-or-break season for him in Pittsburgh.

"The off-the-field stuff, I can’t touch on it too much because it’s personal, right?" Gordon said about Pickens. "...If you’re the No. 1 guy, you have to always be in the game, and there’s never an off switch with you. We don’t want to see you b---- and moan. We want to see you go 110% because that’s what you’re here to do. If that’s the demand, and if he’s ready for that, then the rest should take care of itself. He’ll make that decision and you’ll see a different player."

Pickens has yet to develop into the top-tier receiver the Steelers hoped to acquire when they selected him as a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. From this past December through late January, head coach Mike Tomlin and team owner/president Art Rooney II made it known they'd like to see Pickens "grow"/"grow up" after he caused numerous headaches for the club throughout the 2024 season. 

Specifically, Pickens wore eye black that featured a profane message during a game, grappled with an opposing cornerback during a last-second Hail Mary attempt, was flagged twice for unsportsmanlike conduct during Pittsburgh's Week 13 matchup, allegedly showed up late for the club's Christmas Day contest and indicated after the Steelers' wild-card playoff loss that he wasn't optimistic about the future of the team's offense at that time. 

Pickens is about to enter the final year of his rookie contract, and there's no sign the Steelers plan to lock him down via an extension or trade him anytime soon. Gordon sounds hopeful that Pickens will prove his worth to the Steelers this fall. 

"I’d love to see him make a huge splash (in 2025), like a 1,400-yard season. He’s a dominant-level guy," Gordon added about Pickens. "It should be child’s play in the secondary after a while against some of these teams. There’s no way they should be able to play zone defense and stop you. There’s no way."

Those running the Steelers must first resolve the team's unsettled quarterback situation before they can think about what Pickens could be for the club during the 2025 campaign. Perhaps Gordon and former All-Pro receiver Chad Johnson could serve as mentors for Pickens leading up to training camp.