Sprinting toward the end zone Saturday, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren was stopped a yard short of six by a trio of Indianapolis Colts defenders.
To Warren's left, Steelers wide receiver George Pickens watched, little more than a spectator before he jumped up and over a rolling Colts defender.
Pickens' reluctance to attempt to throw a block has drawn the ire of pundits and fans since the Steelers' 30-13 loss.
His explanation Tuesday isn't likely to bring about an avalanche of goodwill.
"I didn't want to get injured," Pickens said Tuesday, via Triblive’s Joe Rutter. "When you stay in and block somebody, you can get run on very easily."
In particular, Pickens cited Houston Texans rookie receiver Tank Dell sustaining a season-ending broken fibula earlier this season when he was rolled up on while blocking.
"I was trying to prevent the Tank Dell situation, the same thing that happened to Tank Dell," Pickens said, via 93.7 The Fan. "You stay and block too long you can get run up on very easily."
The Steelers eventually scored after Warren's run came up short of pay dirt, but Pickens being a bystander on the play hasn't aged well in the days since.
Amid an arduous campaign for Pickens and the Steelers, who have now lost three straight to drop to 7-7, the second-year wideout pinned the criticism for a seemingly obvious lack of determination on media members who don't play the game making a big deal out of it.
"They don't play football," he said, via Rutter. "They do what you all do."
As a rookie, Pickens picked up 52 receptions for 801 yards and four touchdowns in 17 games. Though it hardly feels like it, he's already essentially reached his first-year numbers through 14 games, having recorded 52 catches, 814 yards and three TDs.
Nonetheless, it's been a trying season for the Steelers as a whole, but notably a struggling offense that's 28th in points scored and 27th in yards. Pickens had two catches for minus-1 yard in a Week 9 win over the Titans that led to him sharing a post on social media that read, "free me." Now he's back in the spotlight for unfortunate reasons.
Prognosticated by most to break out in 2023, Pickens has hardly done that. Instead he's furthered a narrative that existed prior to the Steelers selecting him in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He was viewed by some as the best wideout in the '22 class, but he dropped due to injury and character concerns.
He's aimed to overcome those pre-draft notions, but cited the media once again as the reason he's still battling for his reputation.
"I just feel like the reason I would be still fighting cause it a lot guys that's not playing the ball, not playing the game of football," he said. "It's just media guys having an opinion."
As of now, Pickens avoided injury and a downfield block, but the media scrutiny isn't likely to let up.
