Mike Tomlin was in no mood to answer questions from reporters after his team’s embarrassing October 9 whooping by the Buffalo Bills. His Pittsburgh Steelers went into Buffalo 14-point underdogs on a three-game skid, and the result was more than double the historical spread.
By the end of the 38-3 battle, Pittsburgh was down several key players: Cornerback Levi Wallace (concussion), defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (back) and returner Steven Sims (eye). Cornerback Cam Sutton (hamstring), who had entered the game as questionable with groin and hamstring injuries, exited and did not return.
The most concerning of the injuries was to tight end Pat Freiermuth who sustained a concussion after a nasty helmet-to-helmet collision with Bills linebacker Tyrel Dodson. He had two concussions in three weeks last season and has now had three in less than 12 months.
This would be #PatFreiermuth 3rd concussion in only his 2nd year of the @NFL.
The Steelers were lucky to avoid adding another injury to that laundry list: Their star quarterback, rookie Kenny Pickett.
It was open season on Pickett in his first start with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With 60 seconds left in the game, with nothing left to play for but pride, Pickett was trying to extend a pass-play on a 4th-and-14. He scrambled right to throw. As he let go of the ball, Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson hit the quarterback low, bending his leg back. Expectedly so, the rookie didn’t take kindly to the tackle and let it be known by shoving him, causing a fight to break out between both sides.
Kenny Pickett ain’t going down without a fight
When prompted by a reporter about his quarterback’s reaction to being hit low, Tomlin only had one word to say: “Appropriate.”
In his postgame press conference, Pickett explained the play from his perspective. “I felt like he went after my knee after I threw it. That’s it. Tempers flare. I don’t care. I’m gonna keep playing ’til the last play of the game, and that was it. So, all good with me.”
Though it’s being described as dirty, the Lawson tackle was completely legal. The only penalty the play drew was on Pickett for defending himself. It could also earn the rookie his first fine when the NFL dishes out Week 5 fines on Saturday, Oct. 15.
Mike Tomlin Responds to Late Hit on Kenny Pickett
The first questionable play came with one minute left in the third quarter. On a 2nd-and-10 in Bills territory, Kenny Pickett scrambled 10 yards with the ball. As he slid, Bills safety Damar Hamlin came in to make a visibly late tackle. Surprisingly, no flag was thrown.
Damar Hamlin’s filthy — or as the ref called it, ‘legal’ — hit on Kenny Pickett:
“I had a problem that the officials didn’t have a problem, not necessarily with Hamlin,” Tomlin said about the hit. “I love him; he’s a 412er, he plays hard, he’s a good kid. I had a problem with the fact that it wasn’t officiated in the way that I anticipated it being officiated.”
It could be argued (and has been) that Hamlin was already launching when Pickett slid. Forward momentum can’t be stopped. It’s science. Guard James Daniels was flagged on a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty.
Mike Tomlin’s weekly presser is on October 11 at noon on Steelers.com. It’s possible he’ll go into more detail about the hits on Kenny Pickett, but it’s more likely he’ll have put it behind him.
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Steelers HC Mike Tomlin Gives One-Word Response to Kenny Pickett Fight