What a difference a week makes. Seven days ago, George Pickens dominated the landscape after his low-effort block against the Indianapolis Colts, followed by his comments defending it. A week later, the focus is back on the field for the right reasons: a monster performance Saturday night against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Which brings us back to Tomlin. In the spotlight nearly as much for Pickens, Tomlin’s comments were met with nearly as much skepticism. In a rare post-practice press conference, he moved between supporting and critiquing Pickens. Supporting Pickens’ development to make him a better man and person, critiquing his gas-on-fire comments to the media.
It was a mixed but measured response. Tomlin didn’t blindly defend him. But he didn’t yell and scream and bury the guy like the rest of the sports media world was. Following Pickens’ big game, Tomlin’s tone had hardly changed. He didn’t throw Pickens’ success in the media’s face. Asked about Pickens’ response to the intense media firestorm, Tomlin needed only three words.
“It was appropriate.”
Here’s the takeaway from Tomlin. And it’s generally the kind of coach he’s been. He never gets too high when things are going well. He never gets too low when things aren’t. Steady is the word to use. It’s what the situation needed.
Did Pickens screw up? No doubt. And his comments were even worse and what turned one play into a week-long media discussion. But did that mean Pittsburgh had to turn their backs on him and send him packing? Not at all. Pickens is 22, still growing up, and learning some tough life lessons under the NFL’s bright lights.
What stuck out the most in Tomlin’s Wednesday post-practice was his acknowledgment that this is a process. Wasn’t going to be broken in a week, wasn’t going to be fixed in a week. And even knowing Pickens had an amazing game and displayed his sky-high ceiling, the work isn’t done. Pickens is going to get frustrated again. He might not handle it in an ideal way. And he’s going to have another big game and remind you how good he can be.
The sports world has a tendency to overreact. To only see what’s two feet in front of them, not the big picture. Forest for the trees, that type of thing. We’re guilty of it, too, though we try to be more measured than others. Tomlin is taking the long view. That’s the best way to handle Pickens. He does have to grow up, he does have to mature, but Tomlin’s not going to react wildly in good times or bad. He’s just going to keep moving forward.
None of this absolves Tomlin completely. While Saturday’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals was as good a Christmas gift as Pittsburgh could deliver, the Steelers are still fighting for their playoff lives and no longer in control of their destiny because of Tomlin’s and this team’s three-game losing streak. They’re still in danger of failing to win a playoff game for their seventh straight year. That’s not the standard, that’s not acceptable, and that’s not an overreaction to one moment or one season.
But if you want to make the strongest case for Tomlin, things like his dealing with Pickens is where you point. Not just because of the outcome. This isn’t just about Pickens playing a great game, but Tomlin’s ability to keep the waters calm when it looks like there’s a storm blowing all around them. He handles the chaos well, and really, that’s what a head coach must do (dealing with players, staff, game plans, media, and all the other pressures) with the same approach and demeanor. It’s why he’ll return as the Steelers’ head coach in 2024.
