The NFL released their annual Pro Bowl rosters on Wednesday, with three members of the Pittsburgh Steelers making the roster.
None of those names belonged on the offensive side of the ball however, including arguably the team’s best weapon, WR George Pickens.
But the reason he isn’t a Pro Bowler has little to do with his talent, and a lot to do with his attitude:
George Pickens Snubbed?
The four Pro Bowl WRs in the AFC were Miami’s Tyreek Hill, Cleveland’s Amari Cooper, LAC’s Keenan Allen, and Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase.
When comparing Chase and Pickens’ 2023 season, they have dealt with similar circumstances yet the scale might be tipped in Pickens’ favor.
Pro Bowl WRs
• Puke Nacua
• A.J. Brown
• CeeDee Lamb
• Mike Evans• Tyreek Hill
• Amari Cooper
• Keenan Allen
• Ja’Marr Chase— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 4, 2024
Chase has both 33 more targets and receptions than Pickens, yet he only has 57 more receiving yards and seven TD receptions to Pickens’ five.
On top of that, Pickens is averaging nearly six yards more per reception at 18.1 compared to 12.5 for Chase.
And If you really want to go deep, Pickens average depth of target or ADOT is 13.4 while Chase’s is 8.7 with Pickens registering only two drops compared to Chase’s five.
I don’t present these numbers to argue that Pickens is better than Chase. When the Bengals are healthy and Burrow is at QB, Chase is arguably the best WR in the league.
I bring up the comparisons to show that the Pro Bowl is more than just numbers. It’s a popularity contest that takes multiple factors into account.
One of those variables is character or behavior, an area Pickens headlined for all the wrong reasons just a few weeks ago.
So hopefully the snub will be a lesson for the budding star. At only 22 years old and surrounded by ineptitude for the most part of his pro career at QB and OC, Pickens has still managed to show that he can be a force in this league.
But you’re only as good as your reputation, especially when awards are voted on by Humans with inherent biases.
The faster Pickens learns that his actions off the field matter as much as his play on it, the faster he will find glory both individually and collectively.
