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George Pickens Talks Year 2 Expectations, Bond With His QB, And His Hatred For Alabama

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George Pickens celebrates after a catch.

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George Pickens is prepping for Year 2 in Pittsburgh as he looks to build on a solid first season. The wideout appeared on the “Rich Eisen Show” this week to talk about his outlook on the upcoming campaign.

Pickens talked with Eisen about a variety of things, including his connection with quarterback Kenny Pickett and his days with the Georgia Bulldogs. The segment was definitely worth a listen.

Pickens has always been one to entertain, boasting top notch size and athleticism at his wide receiver position. With that success comes a touch of swagger that’s often seen following the mind-blowing catches he’s able to make on the field.

We saw it often in his national championship winning career at UGA, though his emotion often got him into a bit of trouble. For example, Pickens was ejected after getting into a fight in the final regular season game of his freshman year. He was then suspended for part of the SEC Championship Game against LSU.

Some character issues led to his being dropped down draft boards as he slipped into the second round. The Steelers took a chance, which led to an unforgettable draft day meme, and it’s paid off thus far.

Fans in Pittsburgh got a chance to see Pickens’ ridiculous ability up close and personal as he flashed OBJ-like catches week after week. He’s done more of the same this fall in training camp.

As he gears up for the start of the regular season, the wide receiver stopped in to speak with sports show host Rich Eisen. He seems excited for the year to come.

George Pickens talks about his personal expectations.

Eisen asked Pickens about his transition to the NFL, and what he’s been working on this offseason.

“Coming in and out of routes, running after catch,” the pass catcher replied. “Those are the things this year that I’ve been trying to improve on… For a person like me, that has so much talent, the fundamentals can take me to another level. I’ve been trying to do the little things right. I’m so raw.”

That athleticism has been a talking point of late as former Steeler DB Ryan Clark said this week that he’s more talented than Justin Jefferson. He just needs to work on the little details of route running and getting open.

There’s no denying Pickens’ ability to make contested catches, but he did note that he’s been working on coming off the line more quickly and making sure he’s getting to the right depth on his routes.

Some of that should make for a better connection with quarterback Kenny Pickett.

Pickens talks about his friendship with his QB.

In one of the funnier moments of the interview, Pickens was heard chatting about Pickett, another player entering Year 2. He said that their friendship is budding both on and off the field.

“Me and Kenny are super good friends off the field, so on the field stuff is kind of routine,” the wideout said.

Looking for Pickens to expand on that answer, Eisen asked what kind of things they do off the field. “What, do you go see a movie together? Have a movie night?”

“No, that’s my QB not my girlfriend,” Pickens quipped.

After re-gathering himself from his laughter, Eisen was finally able to get a response. Dinners out in Pittsburgh was as far as Pickens would go, though he did suggest that many of his meals were on the house.

“The Steel City’s very nice!”

George Pickens talks about his commitment to UGA.

Eisen and Pickens made the transition to college later in the interview. After being asked about what he expects to see on the field this year, the receiver simply said team success if most important.

“I’m a huge team guy. After I won a few championships at Georgia, I got the feeling of that. My biggest goal, to be honest, is just try to help the team get to a Super Bowl.”

Eisen then asked what led to his commitment to the Bulldogs as he’d previously been an Auburn pledge. Pickens is from Alabama, and apparently, he hates the Crimson Tide.

“I was actually committed to Auburn, and I flipped on signing day to Georgia,” Pickens recalled. “I felt like Georgia had a better chance [to beat the Crimson Tide]. For me personally, I’m from Alabama so it was just beating Alabama. Whichever team had the best opportunity to do that.”

Pickens would go 1-2 versus the Tide over his three-year career, with his final game being a national championship win over Alabama.