The Pittsburgh Steelers don’t have the most talented offense in the league. They’re led by an aging quarterback, who’s starting to look like more of a 36-year old player over the past month. With Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, their rushing attack is solid, but it’s not enough for the offense to consistently rely upon it. All in all, there’s one real playmaker on the offense, and that’s wide receiver George Pickens.
Pickens has all the talent in the world, but that’s not the only thing he brings to the table. Throughout this season, he’s been a popular subject due to his antics on the field. There was a moment he pulled a Dallas Cowboys defender’s face mask late in a loss. He received harsh criticism for giving up on a route in Pittsburgh’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas and appeared frustrated throughout that game. With the talent he brings to the table, the Steelers have also had to manage storylines like these.
Former NFL offensive lineman Mark Schlereth seems to be sick of Pickens’ antics, to say the least. Schlereth joined 93.7 The Fan on Friday, where he shared his dissatisfaction with the star receiver.
“Great things happen when you care more about the people you play for than you do about yourself,” Schlereth told the show. “And I doubt that George Pickens cares about anybody more than he cares about himself. That’s a recipe for losing. Those are things that I just can’t tolerate.”
Mike Tomlin certainly hasn’t had the easiest job this season. He’s no stranger when it comes to dealing with a star player in the limelight for the wrong reasons. If the Steelers ended the year strong and won the division, these moments with Pickens probably wouldn’t get as much attention. With Pittsburgh finishing the regular season on a four-game losing streak, they’re becoming amplified instead. In the midst of that, Schlereth doesn’t think Tomlin is handling Pickens as well as he could be.
“That goes on Mike Tomlin,” Schlereth said. “You cannot let that guy [George Pickens] become a distraction. I understand he’s a world-class talent. I don’t care. That’s a level of selfishness, and you wonder why you don’t win championships. You wonder why you can’t win a playoff game.”
Tomlin has always been a players coach. Usually, he’s able to calm these types of situations down. Throughout his tenure, he’s managed players with similar antics before, but Pickens has found his name in the headlines far too often this season. If the Steelers lose on Saturday and Pickens has a quiet game, things could ramp up even more in the offseason.
