The Pittsburgh Steelers found themselves in a trap game against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football, where they struggled to gain momentum for most of the night. With the game looking like it was over, a 30-yard scramble by Justin Fields injected life into the offense, sparking a surprising series of splash plays that brought Pittsburgh back into contention. With the help of their playmakers, the Steelers managed to claw their way to a 19-18 lead, but their defense faltered in the final moments, allowing Cleveland to seal the game with a 24-19 victory.
In the game’s waning seconds, Pittsburgh had one last shot at an improbable win. A desperate hail mary in the snowy conditions had fans clinging to hope as Russell Wilson launched a towering pass toward the end zone. With Mike Williams and George Pickens as targets, a miracle felt possible. However, Pickens, entangled in a scuffle with Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II, inexplicably failed to position himself in the end zone, extinguishing any hope for the Steelers to pull off the comeback.
NFL analyst Kyle Brandt, who has often been generous in his evaluations of the Steelers, didn’t hold back in criticizing Pickens for the critical error. Brandt likened Pickens’ lapse to Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson’s infamous hail mary blunder earlier in the season, pointing out the glaring lack of awareness in such a pivotal moment. For a team already battling offensive inconsistencies, Brandt’s sharp words only magnified the frustrations surrounding Pittsburgh’s inability to capitalize on opportunities.
"I thought I saw the strangest Hail Mary play of the year and maybe I did in Tyrique Stevenson, [but] if Pickens is fighting with a guy before the ball has even landed, it might be worse," Brandt said. "'Cause say what you want about Tyrique getting distracted by Commanders fans that day, that was really crazy, at least he checked back in and got back in the play."
Both Hail Mary blunders were costly, but in Pickens’ defense, Newsome had been holding and interfering with him throughout the game. Even so, Pickens needed to keep his composure and understand the importance of being in the end zone and ready to make a play in such a critical moment.
Brandt’s harsh critique stemmed from his recognition of Pickens’ immense talent—his frustration was directed at seeing a player of Pickens’ caliber lose focus and allow a scuffle to completely take him out of the play, leaving him with no chance to deliver when it mattered most.
"The thing that kills me about this play is this is exactly what Pickens is out here for, to jump and make crazy acrobatic catches," Brandt said. "This is where he eats. This is the kind of play he can make, and they could win a game. And he is so logged out psychologically that all he wants to do is fight."
Pickens had seemed to turn a corner in his maturity, but his postgame comments raised concerns. Instead of taking accountability, he blamed the weather and the referees for the Steelers’ loss, even going so far as to claim the Browns aren’t a good team. That’s not the kind of response Steeler Nation wanted to hear, especially after such a frustrating defeat.
Steelers' George Pickens Cost His Team Any Chance At A Hail Mary Miracle
While Pickens had a solid first half, he was virtually invisible in the second. His excuse about the weather rang hollow, considering the Steelers mounted their comeback during the worst of the conditions.
For fans, hearing excuses after such an embarrassing loss only added to their disappointment. It’s clear that Pickens needs to improve not just on the field but in how he handles himself off it, particularly when addressing the media.
Moving forward, fans will hope to see growth in Pickens’ ability to channel his emotions and focus on his game. Allowing cornerbacks to frustrate him to the point of being mentally taken out of the game, as seen on the final hail mary play, only hurts the team. Pickens has the talent to be a game-changer, but he needs to keep his composure and show the maturity expected of a top-tier player.
