George Pickens throws a social media temper tantrum over Pro Bowl snub

When it comes to George Pickens, Steelers fans are going to have to strap in as we ride his rollercoaster of emotions. Just before Mason Rudolph became the starting quarterback for Pittsburgh, Pickens was at the center of discussion after his poor body language and lack of effort as a blocker brewed controversy.

Over the past two games, Pickens made every fan forget about his undesirable behavior and questionable responses to the media. The talented wide receiver compiled 326 yards and 2 touchdowns on 15 targets since Week 15, and he quickly put any talks of benching him to rest.

Now, despite his recent surge of dominance on the football field, Pickens is making the news cycle for reasons other than his on-field play. As the Pro Bowl roster was announced, the Steelers had three players who will be making the trip to Orlando this year. George Pickens was not one of them.

T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Miles Killebrew (special teams) were the three Steelers players awarded Pro Bowl honors. But instead of taking to social media to congratulate his teammates, Pickens made an unsightly Instagram post -- letting out his frustration with being snubbed from the list.

Pickens trashed the NFL and the Pro Bowl because he was not voted in this year. What he needs to understand is that other players were more productive this season -- which is often a driving factor when it comes to Pro Bowl voting.

Entering the final week of the season, there are 46 NFL receivers with more receptions than Pickens, 11 with more receiving yards, and 33 with more touchdowns. In the AFC alone, there are at least four receivers who are all-around more productive than Pickens entering Week 18 (when voting already needed to be decided).

George Pickens needs to grow up fast

What the young receiver needs to understand is that this is a year-long award. Just because he has taken the NFL stage by storm over the past two weeks doesn't mean he's a shoo-in for the Pro Bowl. Also, his negative body language and less-than-desirable social media posts aren't helping him win a popularity contest with football fans.

I have zero questions that George Pickens is talented enough to be a Pro Bowl receiver, and there was a case to be made that he should have received this honor for his work in 2023. However, he needs to mature in a hurry. This isn't the way grown men should be reacting when they don't receive a reward. His attitude needs to be 'work harder' not 'pout more.'