The steel is reaching a boiling point in Pittsburgh.
Legendary Steelers coach Bill Cowher isn’t loving what he’s seeing from the team and wide receiver George Pickens, who showed no effort while blocking for running back Jaylen Warren on a running play in his direction near the goal line in a 30-19 loss to the Colts on Dec. 16.
“It is disappointing to see and hear what George Pickens talks about because culture really is about commitment and sacrifice,” Cowher said on the Pat McAfee Show on Thursday. “You’re not just playing with one another; you’re playing for one another.”
The ex-Steelers coach then said that punishment had to handed out, although head coach Mike Tomlin said that punishment would be handled internally.
“I think there’s got to be consequences for that,” Cowher said. “So, we’ll see what happens with it. He’s going to be held accountable, because you have to have accountability. If you don’t do anything and there’s no consequence to the choice that he made, now you’re losing accountability, and I think that’s a very important element that you have to have in that building.”
Cowher — whose Steeler teams won eight division titles, appeared in two Super Bowls and won one — said he couldn’t imagine a player doing what Pickens did and “not performing and giving everything.”
“The one thing that should never be questioned is your effort and your ability to be there for your teammate, picking somebody up,” Cowher said.
Warren, who may have scored a touchdown had Pickens held his block, was befuddled by the lack of effort and mentioned that he would have blocked if Pickens was the one running the ball.
Pickens seemed to feel no remorse over the situation.
“All the people that’s been questioning my effort, they don’t play football; they do what y’all do,” Pickens said.
“I was trying to prevent a Tank Dell situation,” Pickens told reporters, referencing the Texans receiver’s season-ending injury. “I didn’t want to get injured. When you stay in and block somebody, you can get run on very easily.”
Perhaps Cowher, a 2020 Hall of Fame inductee and legendary coach, is credentialed enough for Pickens to listen to when it comes to blocking an outside sweep in your direction near the goal line in a must-win game to win the playoffs.
The Steelers face the Bengals on Saturday and Pickens is expected to play for Pittsburgh.
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