Bill Cowher doesn't like what's currently going on in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers' Hall of Fame coach didn't mince words when asked about Pittsburgh receiver George Pickens' recent loafing on a blocking assignment, then explaining his actions by stating that he didn't want to get hurt.
"It is disappointing to see and hear what George Pickens talks about, because culture really is about commitment and sacrifice," Cowher said Thursday on "The Pat McAfee Show." "You're not just playing with one another, you're playing for one another."
Cowher said he "could never imagine" a player doing what Pickens did and "not performing and giving everything."
"To me, it's all about effort," Cowher said. "We're going to make mistakes, I get it, and sometimes we don't make the right call. But the one thing that should never be questioned is your effort and your ability to be there for your teammate, picking somebody up.
"That is very bothersome. I think there's got to be consequences for that, so we'll see what happens with it. He's going to be held accountable, because you have to have accountability. If you don't do anything and there's no consequence to the choice that he made, now you're losing accountability, and I think that's a very important element that you have to have in that building."
On Wednesday, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said that Pickens will play Saturday against the Bengals. Tomlin said that any possible punishment for Pickens will be handled internally.
It's safe to say that Pickens' actions haven't gone over well in Pittsburgh's locker room.
"Some people play the game differently," said Steelers running back Jaylen Warren, the player Pickens didn't block for during last Saturday's loss to the Colts. "If I was in that position I would have blocked for him. But we play differently, so ..."
Pickens' actions have only reinforced questions regarding the leadership -- or lack thereof -- currently inside the Steelers' locker room. Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger recently said that, while the team has leaders on the defensive side of the ball, he questions whether or not Pittsburgh has offensive leaders in place.
"You need someone to stand up in that room, on offense, and be like, 'Hey, this isn't what it means to wear the black and gold,'" Roethlisberger said on his podcast. "This isn't what has been handed down from those teams of the '70s. The Steel Curtain, the four Super Bowls, the Nolls, the Bradshaws, the Blounts. All those people, it's unbelievable.
"I understand the further you get away from that, the harder it is unless it's being passed down and carried the right way."
While Pickens' situation is still playing itself out, Cowher was also asked about Pittsburgh's biggest on-field issue: An offense that all season has struggled to put points on the scoreboard.
"Can it get turned around? Yeah," Cowher said. "I think you have to sit back when the season is over and see what you want to do on the offensive side of the ball. Bring in someone who is established who is going to bring in his system that is going to get back to what Steelers football is all about."
