Mike Tomlin responds to George Pickens’ displays of frustration

May 26, 2022; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) participates in organized team activities at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

George Pickens’ displays of frustration with the Pittsburgh Steelers offense have become an almost regular weekly occurrence, and coach Mike Tomlin is trying to find a way to channel them into something positive.

Tomlin admitted Monday that Pickens’ frustration is a “natural human response” to the Steelers’ struggling offense, but that he wants the wide receiver to focus on making those displays more constructive.

“It’s a problem because it’s not solution-oriented,” Tomlin said, via Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. “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.”

Few would describe Pickens’ moping as constructive. While his dissatisfaction is certainly understandable in a general sense, there have been moments where he looks upset even when the rest of the team is succeeding, suggesting that some of it is rooted in a lack of personal accomplishment.

Tomlin has previously downplayed Pickens’ frustration, and he is not really attacking it here, either. There is no doubt that he would want it to fuel his second-year wide receiver instead of causing him to check out, though.