In a back-and-forth banter, the wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers had the final say.
Wide receiver George Pickens of the Pittsburgh Steelers came out on top in his back-and-forth with multiple defensive backs of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The standout wide receiver for the Steelers and defensive backs Andrew Wingard and Rayshawn Jenkins of the Jaguars spoke with each other via interviews prior to and following their Week 8 matchup.
Prior to kickoff, Pickens referred to Jacksonville’s defense as a “hope defense.” Following the Jaguars’ victory in their matchup, Pickens was criticized by Wingard and Jenkins for his remarks.
While speaking with Dewey, I couldn’t help but hear Rayshawn Jenkins discuss George Pickens’ “Hope Defense” comments with another reporter.
So, I had him & Dewey react to it together.
🍿 🍿 #Jaguars | #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/ObzYdXHAX8
— Mia O'Brien (@MiaOBrienTV) October 29, 2023
Wingard told ,
“Man, truly, he needs some advice moving forward,” “You never put pressure, expectation on yourself. He did that. If hoping is getting a dub, we’ll take the dub. You don’t fire up a bunch of hungry dogs. It’s not smart. George, do better.”
Following an interception, Wingard grabbed a Terrible Towel during the game and made fun of it, which led to that interview.
Proof that the Terrible Towel Curse is real 👀pic.twitter.com/V9xFm2yYoz
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) January 7, 2024
It took almost three months, but in the end, Pickens had the final say in the discussion. Following the Jaguars’ Week 18 loss to the Tennessee Titans, which resulted in their elimination from the playoffs and the Steelers’ acquisition of the final wildcard slot, the wide out sent a statement on Instagram.
George Pickens on IG. 😭😈 #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/DrY3LWTXaS
— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) January 7, 2024
The Steelers and Buffalo Bills will play in the playoff wildcard round. Pickens has 326 yards in the last three games, including Week 18 when he did not register a catch.