PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – We've seen it at times on the sidelines. It's been pointed out on broadcasts and Mike Tomlin said it is an issue for the team when George Pickens acts up during a game.
"It's a problem because it's not solution-oriented," Tomlin explained on Monday. "You know we are all frustrated, but we got to manage our frustrations in a professional, mature way. When it's not done that way, it's not necessarily pushing us to solutions."
So, he added from that perspective, it's a problem. Pickens was seen a couple of times upset and by himself on the sidelines. Tomlin has talked to him in two different games after Pickens was visibly upset. It's been singled out during the games at times when the second-year receiver was frustrated or not giving full effort on a play that didn't go to him or didn't go in his direction.
The 22-year-old hasn't had a 100-yard game since October 22 and has only one game even close, 86 yards in a loss to Arizona. In the last seven games, he's been over 50 receiving yards just twice and his last touchdown came before Halloween.
It's understandable that he is frustrated. He wants to not only perform, but he wants to win. He feels he can be a solution to some of the Steelers offensive problems, but he can't when he only has 22 total receptions in the last seven games.
"I think it can happen to anybody when things aren't going well to be quite honest with you," Tomlin said. "We care a lot. We put a lot into it so frustration is a natural, human response."
"I'm also completely comfortable asking these guys to do unnatural things because they are professional athletes. That's our job to do the unique things and make it look regular, make it look ordinary."
Pickens can often do extraordinary things, but he can't throw it to himself. He also doesn't sit in the meetings when the team is game planning and determine how involved he will be, or isn't making the halftime adjustments to get him chances.
Tomlin acknowledges he can't be complaining during a game, but Pickens also has to fight through that and continue to play full for his teammates.
