When the Pittsburgh Steelers got routed, 30-13, by the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, a controversy came up when wide receiver George Pickens refused to block his nearest defender on a key play when they ran the football.
Pickens claimed he refused to perform his blocking duties because he didn’t want to suffer the type of injury that Houston Texans WR Tank Dell recently sustained.
But per Brooke Pryor, head coach Mike Tomlin pushed back on that claim, and he even said that it is evidence Pickens needs more maturity and growth.
Mike Tomlin said George Pickens didn’t tell him he didn’t block on the Jaylen Warren play because he was worried about being injured.
Tomlin: “He did not express it to me, but how he deals with us and how he deals with you guys might be two different things. And to be quite…
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) December 20, 2023
With 814 receiving yards and three touchdowns, Pickens is arguably Pittsburgh’s biggest offensive weapon this season.
However, one thing that seems to separate great wideouts from those who are merely good is the willingness to block when they do not get the ball.
The Steelers, who are 7-7 and fighting for a Wild Card playoff spot in the AFC, have struggled offensively all year, and they rank 28th in points, 28th in passing yards, 29th in first downs, and next-to-last in passing touchdowns.
They have lost three games in a row, and it is possible that one more loss would eliminate them from contention for a postseason spot.
Pittsburgh will host the Cincinnati Bengals, another team in the hunt for a playoff berth that has been winning despite injuries, on Saturday.
After that, they will leave Pennsylvania for road contests against the pesky Seattle Seahawks and the mighty Baltimore Ravens, making it seem as if Pickens and crew have an uphill climb to simply reach the playoffs.
NEXT:
Analyst Says Steelers Should Pursue Notable OC