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Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin won’t trade barbs with Cincinnati Bengals’ Tyler Boyd

Sep 19, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;  Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd (left) meets with Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin before their game at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

In the unsolicited opinion of Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd, the Pittsburgh Steelers quit at the end of Sunday’s AFC North division loss to Cincinnati.

On Tuesday, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin didn’t take the bait when offered the microphone to respond to Boyd’s claim.

“I don’t care about Tyler Boyd’s opinion about what transpired at any point in that game,” Tomlin said Tuesday. “He’s entitled to his opinion, but I don’t have to respond to it.”

Opinions about the Steelers have been hitting hot and heavy with two losses in a row following a Week 1 win at Buffalo. Injuries have slammed the Steelers and hit particularly hard on defense.

All-Pro pass rusher T.J. Watt was out Sunday with a groin injury he suffered Week 2 in a home loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Pittsburgh played that game largely without Watt and didn’t have regular starters on the defensive line (Tyson Alualu, broken ankle), linebacker (Watt and Alex Highsmith, groin injuries) and cornerback Joe Haden (groin).

In the loss to the Bengals, the injury bug bit the offense — wide receivers Diontae Johnson (knee, inactive) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (bruised ribs).

Tomlin said Smith-Schuster would practice “at some point this week.”

Related: If you’re a fan of the Steelers, check out #Steelers rumors, rankings, and news here

Watt, Johnson and Highsmith are in the “expected to practice” category, he said.

Tomlin said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger continues to take too many hits, and the offensive line is hurting the team with self-inflicted wounds such as holding penalties. Pittsburgh is 32nd, dead last, in the NFL in rushing at 53.0 yards per game.

–Field Level Media

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