The Pittsburgh Steelers had such an impressive preseason in 2023 that was highlighted by utterly dominant performances by players like QB Kenny Pickett and EDGE Nick Herbig. Some of these performances were so good that it almost felt like wide receiver George Pickens was an afterthought.
But we know better than that. So does T.J. Watt. Recently, Watt joined The Pat McAfee Show to talk about the upcoming NFL season, and George Pickens was one of the discussion topics.
When asked about Pickens, Watt simply called him a 'genetic freak'. Here's what he told Pat McAfee:
"He's crazy, man. He's a freak; a genetic freak. I still don't think he understands how good he is... You forget these guys are still so young. He's just a kid coming out of college still. Just living life to the fullest and having fun and not realizing how good of a player he is."T.J. Watt via the Pat McAfee Show
It's hard to believe that Watt is too far off base here. From everything that we have witnessed dating back to last summer, perhaps there is no better word to describe him than a 'freak.' Watt means this in the very best way -- hinting that he can do other things most wide receivers only dream of.
Watt was also adamant that he still doesn't believe Pickens knows how good he is.
Pickens has never been much of an underdog. Since his football days at Hoover High School in Alabama, the talent gap between him and the next best player on the field was notable. This is what led him to be a five-star recruit (and the number one overall recruit from the state of Alabama).
Since then, the young wide receiver has only continued to make strides. After being one of the youngest players in the 2022 NFL Draft, Pickens turned just 22 years old going into his second NFL season.
In limited action during the 2023 preseason, Pickens was spectacular. He reeled in 3 of 3 targets for 76 yards and a touchdown. This is an incredibly small sample, but with some challenging catches down the sideline, he made it look pretty easy.
T.J. Watt has now seen Pickens at Steelers training camp for two straight summers, and he's not mincing his words. The former Defensive Player of the Year knows a thing or two about NFL talent, and it's clear that he thinks the sky is the limit for what George Pickens can bring to the Pittsburgh Steelers.