Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens said that the chemistry he showed with quarterback Kenny Pickett in their preseason opener is nothing new.
The Pittsburgh Steelers began a new era on the offensive side of the line of scrimmage. The team watched quarterback Kenny Pickett make strides at the end of last season and witnessed a potential game-changing wide receiver in the making in George Pickens. Both were rookies and now are entering their second NFL season, where the expectations are undoubtedly higher.
Well, the duo showed off their chemistry early on in their preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday.
On Pittsburgh's opening drive of the game, Pickett threw a pass to Pickens in the middle of the field. The wide receiver ran past and juked around multiple defenders to give the Steelers an early 7-0 lead.
After the game, Pickens was asked about the 33-yard touchdown he scored off of Pickett's pass. Pickens said simply, "That's what he's been doing."
George Pickens hypes up Kenny Pickett after Steelers preseason opener
It was quite the way to hype up Steelers fans ahead of the start of the season.
Pickett only played in that opening drive, where he completed six-of-seven of his pass attempts for 70 yards and the aforementioned touchdowns to Pickens, which was the receiver's lone target of the game.
Last year, Pickett dealt with concussions that forced him to miss some time. But towards the end of the season, he orchestrated game-winning drives against the Las Vegas Raiders and Baltimore Ravens. With that, it helped the Steelers finish over .500 once again in the Mike Tomlin era.
Pickett threw for 2,404 yards, seven touchdowns, and nine interceptions while completing 63.0 percent of his passes.
As for Pickens, he showcased flashes of his explosiveness in the Pittsburgh offense last year, including a one-handed catch against the Cleveland Browns.
Pickens caught 52-of-84 pass attempts for 801 yards and four touchdowns in 17 games played (12 starts).
This offseason, the Steelers helped stock the offensive line with the likes of Isaac Seumalo and Broderick Jones, while bringing in a veteran wide receiver in Allen Robinson. So, it will be up to coordinator Matt Canada to make the most of it.
Whatever is to happen, one thing is certain, the chemistry between Pickett and Pickens looks strong.
