Steelers HC Mike Tomlin Addresses George Pickens Situation
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers headlines turned quickly from good to bad over the weekend after wide receiver George Pickens stole the show with frustrations shown during the team's game, and then speculation about his social media presence afterward.
During the Steelers' Week 9 win over the Tennessee Titans, Pickens was shown visibly frustrated on the sideline, even after the team scored a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
The next day, he made a questionable post on Instagram, followed by deleting all of his pictures associated with the Steelers. He later posted highlight clips of him with the Steelers and posted on his story that none of it was about football.
Head coach Mike Tomlin caught wind of the situation and addressed it during his Week 10 press conference after being asked if Pickens has voiced frustration to him.
"Heck yeah, man. He expresses frustration all the time," Tomlin said. "He wants to be significant. He wants to be a reason why we're successful. I don't begrudge that. I want guys who want the football. I want guys who want to be central reasons why we're successful. That's a non-issue."
Tomlin said handling a situation like Pickens's is "like breathing. It's easy." He also wasn't pleased that the situation turned into a story and abruptly said it was being blown up.
"I know it's a cute story for you guys [reporters], but it is a pebble in my shoe in terms of the things that I have to do in an effort to get this group ready to play this week. Our focus is on the Green Bay Packers and what we're all going to do in this football game.
"It's like reality television the way you guys follow social media and write stories about it."
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