PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Steelers receiver George Pickens wanted all to know what happened in Georgia on Sunday when he frustrated. It’s not a big deal.
Pickens was caught by network cameras saying he wanted the ‘bleeping’ ball. Before he was asked questions in a three-minute interview setting, he made a statement. There is the transcript of the entire interview to allow for no misunderstandings of what he said to a group of about 20 reporters/photojournalists on Wednesday before practice.
“I ain’t going to be just saying stuff to make a statement bigger than it is or make something bigger than what it is,” Pickens said to open.
Pickens said he did not hear what Mike Tomlin had to say about him at his news conference on Tuesday. The Steelers head coach said he wants players that want the ball and they will work on how he shows it.
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How do you express that you want the ball without being over the top or having something on camera you don’t want to be seen?
“Every player got that, it’s just what you record. Don’t try to make it something it’s not. I feel like every player, every receiver in the past and going forward, Terrell Owens. I could name so many names, it’s what you want to make it out to be.”
Do you feel good about your role and your opportunities in this offense?
“Ah, yeah”
How can the receivers get a bigger chunk of the targets and passing yards in this offense? How does that happen?
“You throw the ball and you catch the ball downfield. That’s how you get yardage.”
Do you feel like you are being unfairly portrayed or talked about?
“No, I’m just saying in general. I don’t want you guys painting anybody in a different light”
Is that something you want to avoid in the future-having your frustration caught on camera?
“That happened with a lot of receivers I could name in the past with video clips. It’s literally what you paint it out to be.”
What are you painting it out to be?
“It’s not me, it’s y’all.”
Do you talk with Kenny Pickett or Mike Tomlin or Matt Canada saying I do want to get the ball more?
“I talk to them all the time, not regarding getting the ball more, more like winning, winning as a team, not really involving getting the ball more.”
George, are there times you are open and you are not getting the ball?
“I’m just running the routes that’s on the playbook.”
What do you make of the analytics people that say you are not getting open?
“That’s what they say, I never said anything.”
Have you noticed teams guarding you differently now than they were earlier in the season, in terms of taking you away?
“I can tell I play a bigger factor and other teams when we play them, they see me more importantly now.”
Do you view that as a sign of respect in some ways?
“It’s whatever they view it as.”