PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – He almost sounded bored with it. Steelers receiver George Pickens didn’t go to his phone after making a ridiculous one-handed catch in practice Tuesday at St. Vincent College. In fact, had his phone off until Wednesday morning. That’s when all of the messages came and he realized it went viral.
Pickens described it as getting a late release on the ball. He said he jumped late and ‘made another crazy catch’.
No biggie. He even credited rookie corner Joey Porter, Junior for being all over him.
“That was great coverage,” Pickens said. “That was outstanding coverage, great technique. It’s just like Michael Jordan and AI, sometimes you got good D, (but) better offense.”
When pressed about better catches he’s made in his life, he said he’s caught at least five better passes. Pickens said he’s been doing it since he was four. That’s when he started playing football with his older brother. When his brother was in high school, he was in middle school playing catch with the older kids.
As Pickens put it ‘I got premature hands, that really helped my catching a lot’.
Premature hands, not a phrase you hear often. Last year he took on safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and corner Cam Sutton as a rookie. He wanted to go after them. Now he’s being hunted by Porter because he’s a guy that likes to compete. He doesn’t shy away from the battle. They’re working to make each other better, even if it seems like they don’t like each other.
“The more times we come out here and games the following weeks,” Pickens said of Porter. “It will be really good to see how he does against other guys.”
He’s been bullish of his objectives this year-wanting to be the best receiver in the game and other personal goals. Mainly he said he wants to win a Super Bowl and he believes if the Steelers do that, the personal goals will come along the way.
Pickens believes he makes the crazy plays routine, now he’s working to be more than just a go-route receiver. He wants more drag routes, more posts for an opportunity to make the routine, crazy.