George Pickens injury update: Mike Tomlin reveals latest after Steelers WR undergoes MRI

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that receiver George Pickens is “doubtful” to play in this Sunday’s Week 15 road contest against the Philadelphia Eagles (11-2).

Tomlin added there’s a small chance Pickens could suit up and play, per Brooke Pryor of ESPN.

Pickens, 23, sustained the injury late last week, forcing him to miss this past Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns (3-10). Pickens recently underwent an MRI, which revealed the injury to be more significant than previously thought.

“We didn’t feel like he was going to be able to play the type of number of snaps that we thought would be worth putting him in a uniform,” Tomlin said after the 27-14 victory. “To be quite honest with you, we didn’t want a small problem to become a big problem. And so, we put a helmet on Scotty Miller, and as you can see, most of the time when you put the helmets on the healthy guys, man, they take care of the rest.”

Steelers’ offense produces without George Pickens

Pickens has been Pittsburgh’s No. 1 playmaker this season, hauling in 55 receptions for 850 yards and three touchdowns. Without Pickens in the lineup, others were forced to step up — and they did. The aforementioned Miller, Mike Williams, Pat Freiermuth and Van Jefferson all made key plays in the passing game, the latter two recording touchdowns.

“My dad texted me and said, ‘GP’s down with the hamstring,'” Freiermuth said after the game. “I was like, ‘OK, here we go. Thanks, dad.’

“The receiver room, we have a lot of good players in there and they stepped up big-time. And for Scotty to come in today and think he was inactive and then George was down, and for him to flip a switch and come in and make big plays, man, that’s credit to him and who he is and the whole receiver room and [wide receiver coach Zach Azzanni].”