New Steelers wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni is not wasting any time in demanding more from No. 1 receiver George Pickens.
Azzanni and Pickens got into a heated exchange at training camp because Azzanni didn’t like what he saw from Pickens, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
The report says Pickens “didn’t take kindly to Azzanni’s words” and that Pickens was visibly upset as other receivers approached him afterward.
Azzanni said last month that Pickens “can do anything he wants. He’s that talented. I think you guys all know that. Ray Charles can see that. You don’t need to be a coach. So we know that’s out there for him if he wants it. Now, he’s just got to keep stacking the days and that’s my job, too.”
Pickens was easily the Steelers’ best receiver last year, catching 63 passes for 1,140 yards in a year when the Steelers’ quarterbacks struggled. But the Steelers believe he can be better still. At the start of camp, Azzanni clearly wants to see a better performance from Pickens on the practice field.