Controversy arises at any moment in the NFL, and it appears that the current one involves the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mike Tomlin and George Pickens. Last week, the team got their second loss of the season, but fans are talking about something else.

For those who are unaware, George Pickens, the team’s wide receiver, is currently the subject of much discussion. The reason for this is the eye-black message he had during the game versus the Cowboys. Mike Tomlin, the head coach, recently addressed that message and may have been quite furious. So, what was the message?

Whoever did not observe the game would have missed that the WR’s face was painted black. In it, a message was scrawled, “Open f—— always.” The players’ decision was quite contentious since many fans were outraged by the statements. When the worries began to grow, spectators wondered how the head coach could have allowed such an action.

Mike Tomlin was later asked about this and he stunned the fans with his response. The HC said that he had no awareness of the contentious eye black statement. Furthermore, because he had no idea of the situation, he never responded to it in front of any media or followers. Tomlin stated that when such situations arise, he handles them in the locker room.

Where Does Steelers Still Lack Elite Talent?

Let Tony do the scouting, you just make the pick.

Pick your positions. Get Tony’s top 5:

QB

RB

FB

WR

TE

C

CB

DE

DT

G

ILB

OLB

P

PK

S

T

View Tony’s Picks

Aside from the eye message, head coach Mike Tomlin also discussed load management in relation to wide receiver George Pickens. Let’s have a look at it also.

After the loss to the Cowboys, Mike Tomlin will tweak a few offensive concepts.

It is commonly known that the Steelers were invincible until Week 4. They had so much momentum that they just lost against the Cowboys. The squad will want to rebound, and Mike Tomlin is searching for ways to do it. When discussing the defeat in week 5, the HC admitted that it was due to poor load control.

For those who don’t understand, in the game, WR George Pickens only played 59% of the offensive snaps. For a talent like him, this was substantially less, and as a result, the responsibility was placed on the other wide receivers more rather than Pickens. However, Mike Tomlin is hoping to alter that and make them all a bit less stressed in the game.

The HC stated to NFL media, “Just trying to grow and trying to get optimum productivity among some individuals and going about it the best means of doing so.” It will be intriguing to watch what Tomlin comes up with and how he will lead his squad to victory once again. Their next game is against the Raiders, who will be a significant test for the team.

What are your thoughts on Mike Tomlin’s comments about the WR’s eye black message? Do you believe he is being honest?