It was quite embarrassing -- though not the least bit surprising -- to watch the national media jump down George Pickens’ throat after his poor showing against the Detroit Lions. They were clearly waiting for his first slip-up of the year to revisit the baggage that drove the Pittsburgh Steelers to trade him to the Dallas Cowboys in the offseason
And, for what it's worth, Pickens didn't even have a "slip-up". He didn't eviscerate any teammates. He didn't scrap with Lions defenders. He just had a bad game; his first in the midst of an All-Pro season.
No matter how great Pickens performs, he'll always be judged by a double standard. That's ironic, because D.K. Metcalf, the wide receiver the Steelers traded for and chose to pay over Pickens, is now suspended two games after his physical confrontation with a Lions fan.
For all of the flak that Pickens caught in Pittsburgh for being a bad teammate and a selfish player, he never got suspended.
DK Metcalf's suspension proves yet again that the Cowboys fleeced the Steelers in the George Pickens trade
Metcalf appeared to throw a punch at a Lions fan in the Steelers' 29-24 win over Detroit on Sunday. The altercation was caught on video from various angles, none of which look good for Metcalf, who signed a four-year, $132 million contract with the Steelers in the offseason.
Because Metcalf couldn't contain his emotions -- a narrative that Steelers fans and the Pittsburgh media used against Pickens -- he will now miss the final two regular-season games as the Steelers fight for their playoff lives.
They are in the driver's seat in the AFC North, but they still have work to do. Metcalf's suspension could ultimately cost Pittsburgh a playoff spot in a wide-open AFC. Just imagine the national outrage if Pickens were in Metcalf's shoes.
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The FOX postgame show went after Pickens on Sunday following the Cowboys' loss to the Chargers. Pickens had an outstanding game, leading Dallas with seven catches for 130 yards and a touchdown without a single misstep on or off the field. No penalties. No yelling at teammates or looking dejected on the sidelines.
While Pickens' upcoming free agency is one of the driving stories in the NFL, there is a time and a place to criticize the player. And discourse about his future can be had without attacking the guy's character, especially after he has an awesome game.
Pickens left Pittsburgh and immediately cut out the distractions while performing like a top-5 receiver all season. Metcalf gets to Pittsburgh and is throwing haymakers at fans. Is that a coincidence? Maybe it's a Steelers issue.
The Cowboys didn't need any more evidence that they fleeced the Steelers. But it's always nice to be reminded of just how lopsided the trade was.