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The Pittsburgh Steelers’ eyes for scouting wide receivers are showing yet again after George Pickens shined in their preseason opener.
Pickens, a standout at Georgia that was drafted with the 52nd overall pick, had three catches for 43 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown pass. The Steelers went on to beat the Seattle Seahawks 32-25 thanks to solid outings from all three of their quarterbacks.
After his score, George Pickens copied Antonio Brown’s on-stage dance. He explained that borrowing the former Steelers superstar’s moves was not something he anticipated. In that moment after scoring a TD, he decided to celebrate and landed on Brown’s dance.
George Pickens did AB’s dance last night when he scored his first touchdown, but it wasn’t a predetermined celebration.
“After I finally knew I made the catch, I was like, oh shoot. What should I do?” pic.twitter.com/wMKfnlfHP7
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) August 14, 2022
Pickens also gave Steelers fans some deja vu by making a Santonio Holmes-esque play to score the touchdown. He showcased his skill right away, suggesting that he is one of the next rookie wide receivers to emerge as a key player.
Steelers fans are surely hoping that George Pickens copying Antonio Brown only extends to his dances and phenomenal performances on the field. It’s a lofty request for him to be as good as Brown, one of the best wideouts in recent memory, but Pickens should still be highly productive for fellow rookie Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky.
The Steelers’ receiving core will be extra important as they evaluate the three options they have at quarterback. Pickens, Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool and tight end Pat Freiermuth will be key to the offense amid uncertainties under center. Although Pittsburgh’s record with the young WRs they bring in is not perfect, they have shown a strong ability to develop wide receivers.