CLEVELAND — Finally, George Pickens made his presence known during the NFL regular season. And he did it in spectacular fashion.
The Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver was not noticed much during his first two games, much to the consternation of many who’d seen him repeatedly make plays as one of the stars of training camp at Saint Vincent.
Pickens arrived on the primetime stage of Thursday Night Football, though, via a 36-yard reception he caught with one hand while falling backward and almost parallel to the ground.
Pickens outdueled Cleveland Browns rookie cornerback Martin Emerson for the catch, which set the Steelers up at the Browns’ 18-yard line late in the first quarter Thursday. The play led to the Steelers’ first score, only their third offensive touchdown over the first three games of the regular season.
Are you serious, George Pickens? What a one-handed grab!#PITvsCLE on Prime Video
— NFL (@NFL) September 23, 2022
Also available on NFL+ https://t.co/uF4okqrMww pic.twitter.com/4mDGzOOoZu
A second-round pick, Pickens had two catches on six targets for 26 yards in the Steelers’ first two games, and his first touch Thursday netted minus-2 yards earlier in the first quarter.
Pickens’ highlight-reel catches were a staple of the opening weeks of training camp. He also had a touchdown during the preseason opener.
In the days leading up to Thursday’s game, everyone from coach Mike Tomlin to offensive coordinator Matt Canada to quarterback Mitch Trubisky remarked how they wanted to get Pickens more involved in the offense.
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