The Pittsburgh Steelers chose to move on from George Pickens this past offseason because of his behavioral issues. While Pickens made a lot of plays in Pittsburgh, he too often created headaches. Part of why the Steelers felt comfortable doing that was because they had just traded for DK Metcalf. Unfortunately, Metcalf recently got into trouble after an altercation with a fan during the Steelers’ game against the Detroit Lions. Former NFL head coach Tony Dungy saw shades of Pickens in that moment.
“You’ve gotta be focused in on the field,” Dungy said Tuesday on his Football Night in America podcast. “What this reminded me of, this was George Pickens 2.0. Guy’s playing well, you’re in a big game, you’re winning, and you do something to just let your team down. You can’t do that.”
Dungy isn’t wrong. In fact, it could be argued that Metcalf’s situation is worse than any Pickens created while with the Steelers. Yes, Pickens often got into fights, both physical and verbal, and he had some other boneheaded moments, but all of that was on the field. Even Pickens’ off-field issues, such as being late to games, didn’t cause this much of a stir.
Metcalf is currently suspended for the final two games of the regular season. For all of his faults, Pickens never got suspended in Pittsburgh. Metcalf crossed a different line that forced the NFL to come down harder on him.
To throw salt into the wound, Pickens has been thriving in his first season with the Dallas Cowboys. He currently has 88 catches for 1,342 yards and nine touchdowns. That’s good for the third-most receiving yards in the league, too.
Meanwhile, Metcalf has 59 catches for 850 yards and six touchdowns. While he’s come on strong lately, that stat line doesn’t live up to his price tag. Add the ramifications of his recent actions, and it’s not a good look for him or the Steelers.
Metcalf’s appeal was denied, so he’s stuck serving the full sentence. Hopefully, the Steelers hang on to their playoff spot, which would allow Metcalf to return this year. If he does, perhaps he can redeem himself in the postseason.