Bengals’ Tyler Boyd takes swipe at George Pickens, Steelers’ camaraderie ahead of Week 16 showdown

While he has never played for the Steelers, Bengals wideout Tyler Boyd has a keen understanding of the franchise having grown up in Pittsburgh. Boyd was a fan of the Steelers teams that won Super Bowls in the 2000s, teams that featured rough-and-tumble wideout Hines Ward. 

Boyd didn’t mind sharing his true thoughts on the Steelers’ current team on Wednesday, three days before Pittsburgh and Cincinnati face off in a critical game for both teams. The Bengals wideout was specifically asked about George Pickens, who is proving to be Ward’s antithesis after he failed to block for a teammate, while also running out of harm’s way during another point in the Steelers’ Week 15 loss to the Colts. 

“It shows the lack of camaraderie that’s over there,” Boyd said, via ESPN. “I can’t really talk for anybody, but like when things ain’t going well, you still have to perform at a high level and do what you can to help the team.

“I done seen a clip with him, it was on a pick, it kind of looked like he wasn’t trying to chase it down. See, I don’t go by that. That’s something that they’ve got to deal with. With things ain’t going good, that’s when your true colors show. I like to be the same player week in and week out, whether it’s going good or bad for me.” 

Pittsburgh is certainly dealing with it, or at least trying to. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and interim offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner both spoke to the media about Pickens on Wednesday. Tomlin said that he spoke with Pickens earlier in the day and said that the embattled second-year receiver would play on Saturday despite his recent actions. 

“George is a talented guy but he’s growing and growing in a lot of ways in regards to football and life,” Tomlin said, via ESPN. “We don’t run away from that. We run to that organizationally when we draft guys. We’re committed to being a component of their growth and development in all areas.”

While Tomlin is showing patience, it’s clear that Pickens is wearing thin on some of his teammates. Jaylen Warren, who was the player Pickens failed to block for, offered a telling response when asked if he was offended by Pickens’ effort on the play. 

“Some people play the game differently,” Warren replied, via the Post-Gazette. “If I was in that position I would have blocked for him. But we play differently, so …”

Boyd may be right regarding the Steelers’ current camaraderie. But it still doesn’t make much sense for Boyd to speak out on the issue. 

By speaking out, Boyd gave the Steelers a reason to come together, for no other reason than to prove him wrong while keeping their fading playoff hopes alive. Whether or not the Steelers will use Boyd’s quotes as a rallying cry, however, is anyone’s guess.