Steelers Get Huge Boost: George Pickens to Return vs. Chiefs

PITTSBURGH — Merry Christmas, Steelers fans, as Wide receiver George Pickens will be back in the lineup for the Pittsburgh Steelers for their Wednesday game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Pickens has missed the last three game with a hamstring injury suffered in practice before the Steelers took on the Cleveland Browns in Week 14. He was a full participant in practice on Monday and then again on Tuesday before the team listed him without an injury status for their Christmas Day home game.

Pickens said on Monday that he felt good after that practice session, but cautioned that it was only a walkthrough pace. Tuesday’s practice, which was closed to the media, was a normal practice cadence.

“I feel good [now], but I don’t make the decision,” Pickens said on Monday. “It is the coaches and the doctors, so just whatever they tell me to do. … Whenever you guys find out is when I’ll find out.”

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The Steelers went 1-2 without Pickens in the lineup, and the team’s already-thin wide receiver position was exposed without the best playmaker available to quarterback Russel Wilson. After throwing for 414 yards in Week 13 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Wilson has thrown for 503 yards combined the last three weeks.

“He’s been our leading wide out; been one the better wide outs around the league the whole season,” offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said on Monday. “That certainly helps. You want your best guys out there if they’re available, and so if he can go, it’d be nice to have him back.”

While Pickens will be back, the Steelers will still be down one wide receiver, as Ben Skowronek has been ruled out of Wednesday’s game. Skowronek suffered a hip injury against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday and did not practice this week.