George Pickens Reminds Josh Gordon of Himself: ‘Talent Isn’t the Issue’
Former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon revealed in a recent interview that he sees a lot of George Pickens in himself. Pickens is the player that emulates his style the most. He also mentioned Tee Higgins as another receiver that plays like him. A big-bodied receiver who wins 50/50 balls.
“Of my game specifically? I like George Pickens. He’s one of those guys that is 6-2, 6-3, big playmaker capability. I’d love to see him make a huge splash (in 2025), like a 1,400-yard season,” Gordon told Kyle Odegard of Casino Beats. “He’s a dominant-level guy. It should be child’s play in the secondary after awhile against some of these teams. There’s no way they should be able to play zone defense and stop you. There’s no way. But George Pickens and Tee Higgins, I think maybe they emulate my game, or I see my game in them to some degree.”
Pickens is a highly talented player but he’s also very unpredictable. Pickens, who is heading into a contract year in 2025, has showcased countless acts of immaturity in his first three years in Pittsburgh. That’s why there’s been speculation that he could be on the trade block. Despite a lot of chatter this offseason, the Steelers are not actively shopping their young star receiver, team and league sources told Steelers Now at the 2025 NFL Combine.
Gordon, who was suspended from the NFL seven times for substance abuse and performance-enhancing drug violations, touched on Pickens’ character concerns.
“The off-the-field stuff, I can’t touch on it too much because it’s personal, right? I can’t say if he’s dealing with anything, but if someone says it then it becomes a thing, and it becomes reality: oh, he’s a bad-effort guy,” Gordon said.
“Maybe he is just tired, but that’s a part of professionalism. 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 bitch 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. Mentally, he’ll be locked in. Because talent isn’t the issue.”
Pickens is heading into the final year on his rookie deal, but the first three years have been tumultuous due to a series of outbursts and immature behavior from the Georgia product.
The 23-year-old has been fined on many occasions and there was a report that he arrived late to the Steelers Christmas day game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Steelers president Art Rooney II believes there’s certainly room for growth with Pickens..
“Look, George is a very talented player, who has room to grow,” Rooney said. “We will would like to see him grow, and hopefully he realizes the potential that he has. But, there’s definitely room for growth there.”