PITTSBURGH — Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin did not use one of his signature lines when responding to comments made by Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Body on Monday about the way the Steelers finished the game, but one could be used to accurately summarize his feelings:
“We do not care.”
Boyd, speaking with the Cincinnati media on Monday, said that he felt the Steelers gave up down the stretch, when losing by two scores late in the game.
“For a team to just lay down like that before the game was over,” Boyd said. “They portrayed it to the whole nation on TV what they were about in how they gave up.”
Boyd doubled down on his comments on social media on Tuesday.
Of all my years playin the Steelers I've never saw them finish like that and I have nothin but respect for them but wats understood doesn't need to be explain jags up next
— Tyler Boyd (@boutdat_23) September 28, 2021
Tomlin said he is not concerned with Boyd’s opinion, and declined to address the subject matter at hand.
“I don’t care about Tyler Boyd’s opinion regarding what transpired at any point in that game,” Tomlin said. “Like I said after the game, and it includes him, I tip my cap to that team and that organization for their performance and win. I proceed, moving on to the next challenge.
“We’d better play them better the next time we see them. That’s always our mentality. I care less about what people say that are not involved in us and with us in function and understand who and what we are. He’s entitled to his opinion, but I don’t have to respond to it.”
It will be interesting to see if Boyd’s comments, and the post-game trolling of former Steelers and current Bengals slot corner Mike Hilton, have any role in the lead-up to the next game between the teams in Cincinnati on Nov. 28.