Tomlin: George Pickens' Career-Low Snaps Were Part of Steelers' Plan in Cowboys Loss

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin explained the decision to decrease the role of wide receiver George Pickens during the team's 20-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

"We just wanted to minimize his reps in an effort to get more productivity," he told reporters, via Nick Farabaugh of Penn Live. "We're just trying to rep manage in terms of the totality of the big picture. He wasn't less of a focal point in terms of our intentions of what we wanted to do offensively."

Pickens was on the field for just 34 of a possible 58 snaps against Dallas, the third-highest mark among Steelers receivers.

"It's no different than we minimize some of the snaps of D-linemen like Cam Heyward," Tomlin said. "It's just about snap management. There's no underlying story, to be quite honest with you."

Despite the limited snap count, Pickens was still targeted a team-high seven times. He recorded three catches for 26 yards.

The 23-year-old was on the field less than Steelers receivers Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin, who combined to rack up just 32 yards.

Pickens was called out for his quiet night by Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis after the game.

The lack of playing time for Pickens was especially surprising considering the fact that he amassed a season-high 113 receiving yards during Pittsburgh's 27-24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 4. He also committed a turnover in the game, fumbling the ball in the second quarter.

The 2022 second-round pick was on the field for 76 percent of Pittsburgh's offensive snaps as a rookie and 87 percent of its snaps in his second season, per Pro Football Reference. He was already back down to 76 percent of the team's snaps in 2024 entering Sunday's contest, though.

That hasn't prevented him from remaining effective, as he's recorded 310 yards through his first five appearances this season. It's also worth noting that Pittsburgh has a new offensive coordinator, former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith.

This isn't the first time Pickens' role in the Steelers' offense has generated buzz, as Tomlin met with the wide receiver to discuss the issue near the end of the 2023 season.

After starting the year with a 3-0 record, Pittsburgh has lost two straight games. Pickens and the team will both look to get back on track against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6.