George Pickens draws ire of Steelers fans on Reddit with latest Cowboys comment deemed subtle shade

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George Pickens is already doing what he does best with the Dallas Cowboys — winding up Pittsburgh Steelers fans.The wide receiver showed flashes of brilliance in the famous black and gold after being selected with the 52nd pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.Pickens was accused of giving up on plays in PittsburghGettyBut his attitude caused problems and head coach Mike Tomlin decided to cut his losses and send the wideout to Dallas after trading for DK Metcalf.Pickens described his first day of Cowboys training camp in California as a ‘breath of fresh air,’ adding that he was “definitely excited to run better plays”, perceived to be subtle shade at his former team.Steelers fans discussed the quote on Reddit and many laid the blame squarely at his feet.“Would definitely be a change to see him actually run routes (any routes) max effort. I’ll believe it when I see it,” wrote one.“He’s excited as long as it’s a pass play. If it’s a run don’t expect him to block,” a second added.“Oh he is gonna start running now? That will be a change of pace. Dude jogged his way through half his career,” a third noted.Shockingly, plenty of Pittsburgh fans actually agreed with the polarizing receiver.“He’s not wrong but just showing he the maturity of a child,” wrote one.“I was ready to be offended by this and treat it like GP insulted my family directly, then I remember the offense I’ve been forced to watch and, yeah, that’s fair criticism,” added another.Pickens will be out to prove that he was not the issue in Pittsburgh, but suffered a potential setback on Wednesday.Lamb is the Cowboys’ undisputed No. 1 option but that could be a blessingGettyView Tweet: https://twitter.com/jonmachota?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwThe wideout hit the ground in pain after trying to bring in a contested catch by the sideline and stayed down for a minute.He later had his calf stretched out before jogging off the field.Quarterback Dak Prescott‘s latest weapon didn’t return for drills but had his helmet on and stayed behind after practice to catch passes from the JUGS machine.Will George Pickens earn a new contract with the Cowboys?Pickens is entering a contract year, looking to earn a massive second deal by starring alongside CeeDee Lamb.There have been some teething issues, including a fumble and a miscommunication with Prescott.But Lamb — the best receiver Pickens has ever been paired with — has been delighted with his new teammate so far.NFL's Greatest......Ranking the top 10......Quarterbacks of all-time – Can anyone better Tom Brady?Wide receivers of all-time – Does Randy Moss or Jerry Rice come out on top?Running backs of all-time – Stacking Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith and moreTight ends of all-time – How does Travis Kelce compare?“I’m glad he’s here. He knows I love him,” he said. “I tell him every day that I’m happy for him. I hope we go together for X amount of years. I don’t care. I just know we’re not fitting to do this for (only) one.“He’s an incredible athlete, an incredible football player.“His ability to go up and get the ball, you guys haven’t seen it yet. But those days are literally coming. He’s like a caged animal. And so am I.”Lamb will draw plenty of attention from opposing defenses, potentially allowing Pickens the room to thrive.If Prescott can stay healthy, the 24-year-old should find himself in an ideal situation after years of poor quarterback play in Pittsburgh.Now is the time to change the narrative. NFL teams are notoriously wary of players with negative character traits, especially if the numbers don’t make a compelling case to take the risk.One bad stop can be a blip on the radar, two and it becomes a pattern — just as Pickens hopes to earn a life-changing check.Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our NFL Facebook page, subscribe to our talkSPORT End Zone YouTube channel for all the offseason news, interviews and more