Terrell Owens George Pickens

Terrell Owens calls out George Pickens for ‘not running routes’ as the Steelers’ offense continues to struggle

Terrell Owens is no stranger to controversy, and this week he turned his attention to Steelers wide receiver George Pickens after Pittsburgh’s 29-10 blowout loss to Kansas City. Hopping on X, the former Eagles and 49ers star didn’t hold back, pinning some of the blame for the Steelers’ offensive struggles on Pickens.

“Same on offense as well when you got #14 not running his routes causing INTs,” Owens posted, referencing a play where Pickens’ lackluster effort on a route led to a costly interception.

Terrell Owens calls out George Pickens for ‘not running routes’

Terrell Owens’ critique piggybacked on Steelers veteran Cam Hayward, who expressed frustration with unnamed teammates after the game. “When 10 guys do their job and one guy doesn’t, we are screwed,” Hayward said, a statement that seemed to echo growing concerns about Pickens’ effort.

Pickens finished the game with just three catches for 50 yards, but it was his apparent lack of commitment on certain plays that drew the most scrutiny. On one particular interception, Chiefs safety Justin Reid easily read Russell Wilson’s pass after Pickens failed to sell his route.

Trust me, I understand that in the video below, it looks like Russ was locked in from the moment he snapped the football and that George Pickens wasn’t really a factor, regardless of how little he contributed on the play, but at the same time, there was an opportunity to make things easier.

Watch George Pickens at the bottom of the screen…lol

This isn’t the first time Pickens has faced criticism for his effort.

Last season, running back Jaylen Warren subtly called him out after a failed block by Pickens prevented Warren from scoring in a short-yardage situation.

“Some people play the game differently,” Warren said at the time. “If I was in that position, I would have blocked for him. But we play differently, so…”

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has addressed Pickens’ growing pains in the past, acknowledging that the young receiver is “growing in a lot of ways in regards to football and life.” But patience only goes so far, especially in an organization with a history of dealing with wideout drama (shoutout AB).

The Steelers have seen this movie before. From Antonio Brown’s dramatic exit to Martavis Bryant’s unfulfilled potential, Pittsburgh has dealt with its fair share of wide receiver headaches. Pickens, a supremely talented player, is now at a crossroads.

Does he channel his abilities into becoming a team player, or does he follow the path of previous Pittsburgh receivers who burned bright but faded fast?

The Steelers offense has struggled all season, and while Pickens isn’t solely to blame, his perceived lack of effort is becoming a storyline the team can’t ignore. Owens’ criticism may be blunt, but it highlights an issue that Pittsburgh needs to address quickly.

If Pickens can step up and mature, he could be a cornerstone of the Steelers’ future. But if the frustration continues to mount, Pittsburgh might find themselves dealing with yet another talented wideout who couldn’t get out of his own way.

For now, Pickens has plenty of questions to answer—both on the field and in the locker room. Personally, I’m still waiting for clarification on Pickens ducking Quinyon Mitchell and the Philadelphia Eagles a few weeks ago but I guess we’ll never know.

Classic: George Pickens is ducking Quinyon Mitchell, will NOT suit up this weekend when the Eagles host the Steelers

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