Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has offered a reaction to wide receiver George Pickens’ social media activity.
The wideout took to Instagram last week, posting a story with the words “Free me” after a game against the Tennessee Titans in which he caught just two passes and had negative yardage. He also bizarrely ran himself out of a touchdown by not keeping his feet in the end zone despite having acres of space.
Pickens would delete the “Free Me” post but would also delete a number of other posts associated with the Steelers and unfollow everyone from the team, including Tomlin, quarterback Kenny Pickett, and the team’s official IG account.
The wide receiver changed his profile photo to one from his high school days, suggesting he wants nothing more to do with Pittsburgh.
Tomlin was asked about all of this by reporters this week and insisted he wasn’t bothered.
“I know it’s a cute story for you guys, but it is a pebble in my shoe, to be quite honest with you, in terms of the things that I have to do in an effort to get this group ready to play this week,” he said.
“Our focus is on the Green Bay Packers and what we’re all going to do in this football game, and I can’t state it any plainer than that. It’s like reality television, the way you guys follow social media and write stories about it.”
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Pickens has made 30 receptions for 521 yards and three touchdowns this season but was expected to do a bit more, though one has to admit it’s probably harder to make up yardage when Pickett is the one throwing the ball as the QB typically throws for less than 250 yards per game.
