Steelers' Mike Tomlin Isn't Concerned About George Pickens' Frustrations After Their Christmas Day Beat Down

With the Pittsburgh Steelers gearing up for their regular season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals, the frustration of their three-game losing streak is all people are talking about. Players like DeShon Elliott calling out the defense for not doing their jobs, and others seemingly putting the blame on one guy -- it's not the type of stuff fans want to see right before the playoffs. Another player that doesn't hide his emotions is George Pickens. He was visibly frustrated after the Christmas Day loss against the Kansas City Chiefs, but Head Coach Mike Tomlin doesn't seem too concerned with Pickens' display of frustration.

Tomlin, during his recent press conference, was asked by the media how has he interacted with Pickens since the loss on Christmas Day. While Tomlin understood his frustration, he believes that Pickens has moved on from the game and is ready to compete in their last contest of the regular season.

"Just saw him in the training room and he had a smile on his face," said Tomlin. "It was good to have him back. Certainly the game didn't unfold the way he or we would like, but as I mentioned, frustrations are a component of losing. I tend to focus my energies on constructing victory and worry less about those things. We got good people, including George. We're able to get over some of those bumps in the road that's associated with failure and keep it moving."

Week 17 was the first game back for Pickens after injuring his hamstring right before the Steelers' Week 14 matchup with the Cleveland Browns. The Steelers' passing game suffered without him, as Russell Wilson threw for just 503 yards across the three-game absence (averaging 167 yards a game). Against the Chiefs, Pickens only brought in three of his seven targets for 50 yards.

Many fans who watched the game saw Pickens dapping up Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce as they were doing their postgame interview. Some viewed that little exchange as Pickens telling the two Chiefs stars to come get him, as his contract is set to expire at the end of the 2025 season. With the frustrations that he has displayed in not just the Christmas Day loss, but in other games this season, many have started to speculate that he wants to move on from Pittsburgh.

Tomlin doesn't seem to think that, however. He knows that Pickens is their guy and believes that he is ready to go to work in their regular season finale. Pickens has a good track record against the Bengals. Last year, he had a career game the day before Christmas Eve, posting four catches for 195 yards and adding two touchdowns. In their first meeting this season, Pickens had three catches for 74 yards and a touchdown in the Steelers' win in Cincinnati -- a trend that Pittsburgh hopes he continues to have in Week 18.

The Steelers are truly hoping that Tomlin is right that Pickens has moved on from the Chiefs game. With such a big week ahead of them, this has the feel of a playoff game. Not only will this game affect the seeding that Pittsburgh receives, a win will knock the Bengals out of their playoff chase. That is something Steelers fans will want to see to end the season.

Steelers' Mike Tomlin Isn't Letting Distractions Get To Him

The Steelers need to find some type of positive momentum to take into the postseason. The last three games has brought a negative vibe into the locker room and needs to change fast if they want to find any type of success. While their seeding is still unknown, Tomlin isn't going to leave it up to chance, especially with the scenario that they could be traveling to Baltimore for their Wild Card matchup if they lose. Tomlin hopes that a win against the Bengals can solve some of their issues, mainly the frustration inside their facility. If they drop a fourth straight game, it could mean trouble and another early exit for Pittsburgh.

Are you concerned with Pickens? Do you think this three-game losing streak ended the Steelers' season already? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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