Mike Tomlin had a great response to the video of George Pickens that went viral.
Pickens was seen complaining during the fourth quarter of the Steelers’ 19-16 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 13 on Sunday. The rookie had just one catch for two yards and came off the field complaining late in the game.
George Pickens telling the coaches “to get him the f—king ball” after Dropson fumble pic.twitter.com/1Ns9AIeL3v
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) December 4, 2022
On Tuesday, Tomlin was asked about the video.
The Pittsburgh head coach said that while he doesn’t like the manner in which Pickens expressed his frustration, he appreciates his player’s passion.
Mike Tomlin bringing the heat defending George Pickens when asked about his visible frustration during Sunday's game. #Steelers
"I'd rather say whoa than sic 'em. I want a guy that wants to be a significant part of what we do."
(via @steelers) pic.twitter.com/QSCVrOzleq
— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) December 6, 2022
“I’d rather say whoa than sic ’em. I want a guy that wants to be a significant part of what it is we do … the mature way to express that, we’re working on. That competitive spirit of a guy that wants the ball, I want that guy,” Tomlin said at his press conference.
This wasn’t the first time Pickens complained about not getting the ball enough. The 21-year-old has 37 catches for 512 yards and 2 touchdowns so far this season and thinks he should be doing more.
While Tomlin doesn’t want to have another Antonio Brown complainer on his hands, he does want players who want to help the team win, which he believes he has in Pickens.
