NFL Announces Punishment for Steelers WR George Pickens
George Pickens and the Pittsburgh Steelers will look to pull off a road upset on Saturday evening as they face their AFC North rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs.
Although the Steelers were able to beat the Ravens once this year, they enter the game as nine-point underdogs, per ESPN BET, and Pittsburgh's four-game losing streak to end the regular season seems to be a cause for concern.
Following a 19-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18, three players from the game have been fined by the NFL. But only one is on the Steelers.
In the final few minutes of the game, quarterback Russell Wilson attempted to hit Pickens down the sideline. However, the ball was thrown too far out of bounds. As Pickens was going for the catch, he grabbed a Bengals defender's face mask.
For this, the NFL has fined the former Georgia Bulldogs star $22,511 for "unnecessary roughness (facemask)."
Two Cincinnati defenders were also hit with punishments. Linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither was fined $14,956 for an "unnecessary roughness (hip-drop tackle)" with just over a minute remaining in the game. Fellow Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt was penalized $22,511 for an "unnecessary roughness (use of the helmet)" with about nine minutes to play in the fourth.
Pickens has been with the Steelers since 2022. Compared to his 2023 statistical output, the wideout had a down season in 2024, recording 59 catches for 900 yards and a career-low three touchdowns.
If the Steelers were to come out of the Wild Card round with a win, they would likely face the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round, assuming the Broncos lose. If the Ravens win, they will likely hit the road to face the No. 2 seed Buffalo Bills, once again assuming Denver falls.
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