Steelers receiver George Pickens didn’t block for running back Jaylen Warren on a run near the goal line Saturday. He made things worse when he explained why.
Pickens admitted he didn’t want to risk injury, pointing to Texans receiver Tank Dell’s season-ending injury on a running play at the goal line a couple of weeks ago.
Warren talked Wednesday and was asked about Pickens’ damning admission.
“I see where he’s coming from,” Warren said, via Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “It is what it is. At the end of the day, he was doing what he thought was best for him.”
Therein lies the problem: Warren was doing what was best for him when he chose to watch as Colts cornerback Jaylon Jones ran past him and helped E.J. Speed bring down Warren before the end zone. It’s not what a good teammate would do.
“Some people play the game differently,” Warren said. “If I was in that position I would have blocked for him. But we play differently, so . . . .”
Pickens will play in Saturday’s game against the Bengals, coach Mike Tomlin said Wednesday. Tomlin called Pickens “a work in progress.”
Interim offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner said Pickens was called out in front of the team this week. In addition to not blocking for Warren, Pickens ran away from making a tackle on Colts safety Justin Blackmon after a Mitch Trubisky interception on a pass intended for Pickens.
“You address it,” Faulkner said. “You present it to the group. You make sure it’s called out among the guys, and they understand what your stance is and then you move on from it. He’s a young guy who has to continue to learn how to be a professional.”
