When it felt like the Steelers were winning, the Cowboys took the final victory with 20-17 on Sunday. However, besides this loss, coach Mike Tomlin was also asked about George Pickens’ stance in the team.

Earlier what happened was the team traded Diontae Johnson to the Panthers. Even they tried to pursue Brandon Aiyuk to help their quarterback, Russell Wilson with more star receivers this time. When that plan didn’t find its home, they again tried to acquire Davante Adams. However, amidst all this hustle and bustle, NFL insider, Dianna Russini speculated that the franchise might be soon involved in a trade of George Pickens, and that he could land into the AFC powerhouse, the Chiefs. But till now, nothing has been confirmed from all the parties involved, which led the fans to speculate on what’s going on in the locker room!

Now, in Sunday’s game, George Pickens was given limited snaps. This caught the attention of all. Hence, it was obvious for the media to ask this question directly to the head coach himself. So, when the reporters asked about Pickens trade rumors as well as his limited snap thing, while answering to this question, via ESPN NFL reporter Brooke Pryor on X, Coach Mike Tomlin said, “George Pickens was limited because of “snap management” — compared it to resting and rotating defensive lineman like Cam Heyward.”

In fact, according to Tomlin, “the team was trying to get more out of Pickens in limited snaps.” In addition to that, to answer the question of trading rumors, the HC replied, “There’s no underlying story.” So, this probably means George Pickens isn’t going anywhere!

However, everything is still in hot water, as the current quarterback, Justin Fields, threw Pickens under the bus, saying, “GP didn’t get involved as he usually does today.” Nevertheless, the entire team is confident in George Pickens, as according to coach Mike Tomlin, he did so because of a plan!

What was the plan of Mike Tomlin for George Pickens?

In the Steelers’ 20-17 loss to the Cowboys, George Pickens didn’t play as many snaps as usual, ranking third among the team’s wide receivers. Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin III both played more, with Pickens on the field for just 34 out of 58 plays, compared to their 47.

Now, George Pickens wore eye black with a bold statement during the game, but head coach Mike Tomlin downplayed any drama. He explained that the team was managing Pickens’ snaps to get more but of him in fewer plays. It wasn’t about him being less important, but more about using his energy strategically. To explain his point, Tomlin further compared it to reducing snaps for other key players like defensive lineman Cam Heyward, stating that it’s all part of keeping players fresh for the big picture.

So, all in all, the coach emphasized that the reduced snaps were simply a part of game management, and not any deeper issue. But as it is visible to many, after the game, even Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis took a shot at Pickens. He called him “weak” and claimed the Steelers needed a better receiver.

Meanwhile, do check out our latest Think Tank exclusive interview with Doug Sanders. It’s packed with insights on the current NFL season, college football, NIL, and much more.