12 August 2023 , 12:00
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The Pittsburgh Steelers made a stunning start to the NFL pre-season, and wide receiver George Pickens recorded one of best plays of the night.
The Steelers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-17, but Pickens and quarterback Kenny Pickett set the pace early on with a brilliant touchdown. Pickens has earned a reputation for his explosive pace and athleticism, and the 22-year-old caught a dart from Pickett before sidestepping three players to score.
It was Pickens' only action of the night before being taken off, but it could be signs of a successful partnership with Pickett in the 2023 season. Pickens is not shy of confidence, and the rookie from last season revealed last month that he feels "angry" when he isn't targeted.
Pickens scored four touchdowns in his rookie season, after the Georgia prospect was selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He also made one of the catches of the season, and predicts big things for the upcoming season.
A lot of the Steelers hopes rest on Pickett and Pickens, with the quarterback one of the Heisman Trophy finalists. Both players were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, with Pickett the 20th overall pick.
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Their connection has looked dangerous in training camp, and it tore the Bucs apart early into their first taste of pre-season. Pickens has already urged offensive coaches to prioritise him more, and he may get his wish this season.
"I love getting the ball, and when I’m not getting the ball I play angry so the attention is back on me," Pickens said. "I’m big, I’m fast, low 4.4 [speed], catch radius is crazy.
"So every time I get out on the field, I do kind of play angry because I should get the ball on every play if you just look at the size and the frame. If I was a coach, I’d just throw to him every time."
"But that’s not how the NFL works. So every time I’m out there, that’s why I throw the blocks. I love getting the ball, and when I’m not getting the ball I play angry so the attention is back on me. I basically draw attention to myself."
Pickens may have looked sharp as he sprinted into the endzone, but Pickett really impressed head coach Mike Tomlin. "I just liked the process," Tomlin said.. "I was interested in the reps, how they moved around this morning and throughout the day in preparation for the outing, the organisation of and how he led it.
"I think it just teed up the performance that we saw. We spread the ball around, we were efficient with possession downs, we scored. Good week's work. Now we'll go back to the lab and keep moving for next week with that group."