George Pickens takes a direct shot at Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin in an attempt to prop up the Dallas Cowboys

This is very much the pot calling the kettle black. The Steelers, by the end of 2024 experienced some serious erosion in culture. There is no denying that. Lack of effort in a playoff game of all settings, veterans calling out coaches and rookies refusing to play, it didn't look good and it's part of the reason why Mike Tomlin has been hypothesized to be on a hot seat, no matter how unrealistic that really is. 

But you know who was arguably the biggest part of that toxic culture? The player who was fined close to $300,000 over the last two years via NFL and team fines. The player who was repeatedly late to team meetings, who lacked effort during the work week, and even in games. A player who couldn't be bothered to show up on time to a Christmas Day game of all venues. 

That player would be George Pickens. 

When Mike Tomlin, the person whom Pickens is really talking about when he speaks to culture, since that's the man who sets it, has to move on from a player, you know it's bad. When a coach, who dealt with Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell, and cast of other characters says publicly, that you have to grow up, you are the problem. 

That's not to say the Steelers and Mike Tomlin didn't enable Pickens' behavior, evidenced by the actions mentioned above by former teammates. But if you think that Pickens is suddenly going to turn into a Boy Scout because Dak Prescott is his quarterback...

I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.