Steelers Star WR Earns Pay Increase

The Pittsburgh Steelers star wideout got a pay bump this upcoming season.

Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) runs after a catch against the Baltimore Ravens during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers star wide receiver George Pickens got a little bit of a pay increase after his performance in 2024. The 24-year-old wideout will now add another $250,000 to his salary in 2025 as part of the NFL's proven performance escalator program, bumping his salary to $3.656 million this season.

The program is broken up into three tiers, with Pickens landing in the second tier due to his snap count and playing time. Pickens played more than 55% of the Steelers offensive snaps during his first three seasons in the league, adding some extra cash to his salary as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.

The lowest amount of snaps Pickens has played in a season has been 68%.

The star wideout just turned 24 and is set to enter a contract season with some uncertainty. It's unknown if the Steelers will negotiate with Pickens this offseason, but they've made it known those talks have not started yet.

The former second-round pick is coming off a 900-yard season, playing just 14 games. The year prior, he tallied 1,140 yards and five touchdowns for the Steelers offense, and in three years in the league, he's worked with five different quarterbacks.

For now, Pickens is adding to his current contract and is in line to remain the team's WR1 for the 2025 campaign. Without any answers at quarterback, how the Steelers offseason goes is a mystery. That includes the future of Pickens and whether or not he'll be signed long-term, play on the final year of his deal, and if he'll need to do so with a new quarterback and maybe some added weapons around him.

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