Mike Tomlin Bluntly Criticizes Former Patriot Gunner Olszewski

Gunner Olszewski is not off to a strong start in Pittsburgh, and his head coach has no interest in trying to sugarcoat that fact.

Olszewski, who signed a two-year, free agent contract with the Steelers this past NFL offseason, has struggled to hold onto the football early in his tenure with the Black and Yellow. The 2020 first-team All-Pro returner coughed up the ball multiple times in the first quarter of the season, including a costly muffed punt that doomed Pittsburgh in its Week 2 loss at home against the New England Patriots.

Tomlin on Tuesday was asked about his confidence level in Olszewski, and as is usually the case, the Steelers head coach was candid with his remarks.

“Not very high. You can’t put two balls on the ground in two games and feel good about it,” Tomlin told reporters, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “Two is a pattern.”

Winning the turnover battle is essential for every team across the league, but it’s borderline necessary for Pittsburgh moving forward if it wants to turn things around. Such is life when you’re handing the keys of the offense over to a rookie quarterback.

Olszewski and the Steelers will try to play mistake-free football Sunday when they visit the Bills. That won’t be an easy task, though, as Buffalo enters Week 5 ranked third in the NFL in takeaways.