George Pickens cut through some of the tension Saturday with a simple post after the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season came to an abrupt end.
The Steelers were outclassed 28-14 by the Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round at M&T Bank Stadium.
With Pittsburgh’s season over, the Steelers wide receiver was asked about his outlook on the team during the postgame press conference.
While Pickens shared that he has “seen signs of growth” from the offense, one exchange in particular made waves on social media.
“Does [the team’s growth] make you optimistic going forward?” one reporter asked.
“Nah,” Pickens said in response.
Pickens’ succinct message seemed to hint at his potential dissatisfaction with the Steelers. Such a stance would not be surprising given the Steelers star’s off-field issues over the years.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens.
© Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
But Pickens seemed to change his tone shortly after his press conference appearance. The 23-year-old posted a brief message on his Instagram story about the Steelers bouncing back from the loss.
“Love yall [sic] boys/girls steeler nation,” said Pickens. “We’ll be back !! Much love”
Some fans wondered whether or not Pickens simply misheard or misunderstood the question. While Pickens has yet to clarify if that was the case, his later Instagram post about coming “back” next year lends to that notion.
Pickens was one of the few bright spots for the Steelers on Saturday, recording five catches for 87 receiving yards — both team highs.
In 14 regular-season games, Pickens caught 59 passes for 900 yards with three touchdowns.
