The 2024 regular season is rolling into Week 6. The next week of preparation for the Steelers as they travel to Las Vegas to face the Raiders is underway with head coach Mike Tomlin taking to the podium to address in the media for our beloved Tomlin Tuesday. With plenty of questions asked by those in attendance, it is once again time for a players mentioned article. Remember these are players where a specific question was asked during the Q&A period.

George Pickens

Coach Tomlin was asked about if he has any level of concern with George Pickens’ effort.

“Again, I don’t know what messaging you’re talking about regarding his eye black. I didn’t have any outlying issue with his effort, as I mentioned after the game, I think someone asked about a reduction in his total number of snaps. It’s just a snap management thing in an effort to be more productive in today’s game regarding analytics. We do it across a lot of positions, particularly when you look at the totality of a 17-game schedule. I’d imagine Cam Heyward, for example, is playing less snaps than he has. Just trying to grow and trying to get optimum productivity among some individuals and going about the best means of doing so, and so that’s probably a reflection of the snap totality of last week.”

Coach Tomlin was asked he’s addressed any concerns with Pickens.

“It’s certainly things that I’m open to addressing and will and do, I just don’t detail it in settings like this because it’s business between he and I in terms of his growth and development as a player and as a man. I just don’t think it aids that growth in the development to address it in open settings such as this. Regarding his behavior, I am aware of that, and obviously that has been and will continue to be addressed. I wasn’t aware of the messaging, and so I’m just giving you a knee jerk response to that.”

Coach Tomlin was asked if Pickens has grown since he’s gotten here.

“He’s certainly gotten better, yes.”

Coach Tomlin was asked what he can to do get Pickens more quality opportunities to make plays.

“You know, I think that I think it’s all of us. I think when you stay on schedule, you position yourself to do that. When you’re not highly penalized, you position yourself to do that. Sometimes, big plays are born out of the execution of others. If you hit a big play, if we hit that play to Connor [Heyward] down the sideline, maybe we’re more fortunate moving forward. We’re just going to keep working. We’re not going to make a big deal out of it. We feel like we’re in the right neighborhood, knocking on the right doors. Sometimes getting the desired result doesn’t necessarily mean change. It simply means continued focus, and that’s where I am in terms of some of the explosion play discussions.”

Coach Tomlin was asked about Pickens handling adversity and if he has done that well.

“Well, in those instances, no. But largely, it has been an improvement in those areas, certainly.”

Coach Tomlin was asked about how Pickens has improved as a blocker.

“You know, he’s a backside, one-on-one matchup guy, so oftentimes he’s not at the point of attack in the blocking game. Blocking responsibilities within our scheme are more handled by guys like Van Jefferson, to be quite honest with you, if you want a transparent answer.”

Coach Tomlin was asked if there was something he saw that led him to take action to manage Pickens’ snap count.

“I’m just more sensitive to that broader discussion. I’m sure I played Cam [Heyward] more last year than I’m playing him this
year, for example.”

Coach Tomlin was asked if Pickens has expressed concern over the lack of snaps.

“No he has not, because it’s been explained to him.”

Coach Tomlin was asked if he’s seen Pickens not run routes as hard as he could.

“It’s certainly part of the load management discussion.”

Elandon Roberts, Payton Wilson, & Patrick Queen

Coach Tomlin was asked if he will try to load manage snaps for other players. In his response, he mentioned Elandon Roberts, Payton Wilson, and Patrick Queen.

“I just use those guys as examples, because they’re central components of what we do, and so we’re just being smart about how we manage them, but I could extend that conversation to a to a lot of discussions, to be quite honest with you. We divide the labor up, week in and week out, between Elandon Roberts and Payton Wilson, for example, opposite of Patrick queen. Patrick Queen is our every down green dot, and so he plays just about in all circumstances, and some players do that. But most players, particularly in today’s game– that have specialized skill sets, that play positions like receiver — they don’t play every down. They are like rushmen. They don’t play every down because you need them in significant moments. You need them at the back half of the season. You need them in the second half of football games and those weighty downs. And so it’s really just a 2024 discussion regarding low management.”

Coach Tomlin was asked if the forced fumble at the goal line by Roberts was planned or something they do on the fly.

“It’s that moment. You’re talking about the goal line circumstance? Yeah, it’s in that moment. It’s a skill set that he brings.
Certainly a feel and timing, but it’s also definitely something that you coach in those moments.”

Coach Tomlin was asked if Payton Wilson has the type of attributes that could allow him to play on the outside

“No, he does not.”

Russell Wilson & Justin Fields

Coach Tomlin was asked if there is an opportunity for Russell Wilson to start on Sunday.

“Again, as I’ve said, until ‘Russ’ [Russell Wilson] gets to a point where we’re comfortable with what we’re looking at, and he’s able to execute all schematics, he’s able to put the back put together back to back consecutive days and so forth, I just think that’s a hypothetical conversation. We’re going to continue to push forward with Justin [Fields] until those things are legitimate, and then we’ll make decisions accordingly.”

Coach Tomlin was asked about Justin Fields’ accuracy and if the Cowboys did something different to throw him off this game.

“It’s probably a little bit of both. I think each game or performance kind of stands on its own, and there are always some variables that affect performance, whether you’re talking about an individual or collective, certainly.”

Coach Tomlin was asked if Russell Wilson taking second-team reps will open the door for him being active next game.

“I think the fact that he’s a full participant is a door that’s ajar. But to say any more than that is to speculate, because he’s got to get through the day. He’s got to show up on Thursday and see where the roads lead us in terms of that. Like in all circumstances, I know I kind of see it in a blanket sort of way, but it legitimately is our approach to business. The limited participation guys, we let the amount of participation and the quality of that participation be our guide in terms of whether or not we include them and how much we include them as we push forward toward game time, and it remains the same at that position.”

Coach Tomlin was asked if there is an element of Russell Wilson’s game that this offense is missing that he can provide.

“I think that’s somewhat speculative, because he hasn’t performed here, and so I think that’ll get revealed when he gets an
opportunity to perform here, and will be revealed with more clarity the more that he performs here.”

Coach Tomlin was asked if he is referring to Russell Wilson’s mobility when saying that he needs to protect himself.

“Yes.”

Minkah Fitzpatrick

Coach Tomlin was asked about Minkah Fitzpatrick saying they need to simplify their approach on defense.

“We consider that each and every week. That’s just a component of strategy in today’s game. Simplicity means playing fast and shortness, but oftentimes it means predictable. And so it’s a delicate balance that we always have. It never really comes into question until you’re unsuccessful. And so, I generally try to focus my energies on being successful.”

Kyle Allen

Coach Tomlin was asked about Kyle Allen coming in to play on short notice.

“Not surprised by anything that we get from Kyle Allen. He’s uniquely positioned as a third quarterback, he’s uniquely
experienced as a third quarterback in a room and not surprised that he’s able to step in andcomplete a ball for us. And I think
the fact that we call that concept is reflective of our confidence in him, and his ability to throw it is reflective of his confidence in
himself.”

Isaiah Loudermilk & DeMarvin Leal

Coach Tomlin was asked the potential for Isaiahh Loudermilk to play on the edge.

“We’ve done that in the past, and we will obviously moving forward, he’s just a versatile guy. He and [DeMarvin] Leal are defensive linemen that are participants in special teams. Both guys are on kickoff, and I think that speaks to their unique skill sets and allows him the position flexibility to slide outside and give us some big man presence when lines get short, certainly.”

Calvin Austin III, Pat Freiermuth, Scotty Miller, & Van Jefferson

Coach Tomlin was asked about his evaluation of the wide receiver room as a whole. In his response, he listed four players on the active roster by name as well as one on the practice squad.

“I like the contributions of different guys over at different times. There have been moments. Calvin [Austin III] had a big game a couple weeks ago. If you’re talking specifically about the passing game, you can’t exclude ‘Muth’ [Pat Freiermuth]. We just did long term contract business with Muth. He’s a tight end, but he is a receiver in that he is a central component of what we do in the passing game. I am comfortable with the contributions of the collective, but I acknowledge who does what, week in and week out, might not be overly predictable, but I don’t necessarily view that as a negative. If they’re capable and they’re prepared, it makes them a difficult collective to prepare for. Scotty[Miller], for example, has had his moments. Van [Jefferson] has had his moments. I like the work of all of those guys. We got Brandon [Johnson] in the uniform last week. He made a play or two for us. We’ll keep working. They’ll keep ready in themselves, and I’m sure we’ll get the necessary plays that we need from the collective.”

Mike Tomlin’s complete press conference can be seen here:

Coach Tomlin speaks to the media ahead of our Week 6 game against the Raiders. @PNCBank

📺: #PITvsLV 10/13 at 4:05 PM ET on CBS https://t.co/1TcbcvBxK0

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 8, 2024