Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin Bluntly Addresses his young wide receivers problems.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are addressing attitude concerns with emerging wide receiver George Pickens, acknowledging the issue but expressing commitment to helping him grow and develop. After negative attention following a lack of effort in a game against the Indianapolis Colts, where Pickens admitted avoiding blocking to prevent injury, head coach Mike Tomlin addressed the situation. Tomlin stated that Pickens is a talented but evolving player, emphasizing the team’s commitment to contributing to his growth both professionally and personally. Tomlin and Pickens are meeting regularly to aid in Pickens’ development, with Tomlin describing him as a “work in progress” requiring continual attention.

“It’s not going to be one incident or one meeting or one form of discipline that’s going to institute the type of change that we’re hunting,” Tomlin explained, highlighting the ongoing nature of Pickens’ development. Despite acknowledging Pickens’ need for improvement, Tomlin confirmed Pickens would play against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16, indicating that the team wants to utilize his talents. Tomlin stressed that Pickens’ maturity growth is a separate aspect from his role on the field.

While acknowledging Pickens’ talents, Tomlin emphasized the ongoing nature of the developmental process and the need for attention and education. He expressed a desire for Pickens to be more professional in addressing shortcomings publicly and emphasized the importance of understanding the consequences of actions both on and off the field. Tomlin concluded by highlighting the team’s commitment to working on Pickens’ development regardless of the momentary challenges they may face.