Pittsburgh Steelers' wideout George Pickens had a busy afternoon in the team’s Week 13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The third-year receiver hauled in three passes for 74 yards and a touchdown while racking up multiple unsportsmanlike penalties that prompted head coach Mike Tomlin to tell Pickens to grow up.
On Saturday, the NFL revealed the player fines from Week 13 and, as expected, Pickens made the list. The Steelers’ receiver was fined twice for his actions against the Bengals for a total of $20,462, according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor on X. Pickens avoided a third fine as the league opted against penalizing him for punting the ball into the stands after a first quarter touchdown.
Both of Pickens’ Week 13 fines were for unsportsmanlike conduct and each cost him $10,231. The first was for taunting, when he tossed the ball at Bengals’ linebacker Germaine Pratt after picking up a first down early in the game. Pickens also got popped for making a “violent gesture.” In this case, the wideout signaled a first down with the dreaded finger gun celebration.
While Pickens denied making a finger gun gesture, it was fairly clear. He even included simulated recoil after pretending to fire his finger gun. Which, honestly, you kind of have to admire the commitment.
The second penalty came after Pickens picked up 36 yards on a pass from Russell Wilson, taking the ball all the way to the Cincinnati 13-yard-line. The finger gun celebration pushed Pittsburgh back 15 yards and, ultimately, the Steelers had to settle for a 42-yard field goal, which was blocked.
The penalty could have proved costly for the Steelers. However, Wilson went off against the Bengals, completing 29 passes for 414 yards and three touchdowns and Pittsburgh held on to beat Cincinnati, 44-38.
George Pickens leads the Steelers in receiving yards and fines
Pickens has now been fined five times by the league. In Week 5 he was hit with a $10,231 penalty for writing “Open f***ing always” on his eye black. In that same game, he also received a $10,230 fine for unnecessary roughness after yanking the face mask of Dallas Cowboys’ corner Jourdan Lewis.
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In Week 10, Pickens was again busted for unnecessary roughness after face-masking Washington Commanders’ corner Benjamin St-Juste. He was fined $16,883 for the infraction.
Pickens has more fines than touchdowns on the season. In 12 games for the Steelers, the 23-year-old WR has 55 receptions for 850 yards and three touchdowns along with five fines for a total of $57,806.
The NFC North-leading Steelers are preparing for a rematch against the Cleveland Browns in Week 14. At the end of their first meeting in Week 12, Pickens had to be held back by security after a scuffle with Browns’ cornerback Greg Newsome II.
While attention has turned to the brewing Pickens-Newsome beef, the Steelers’ wideout may have to do his taunting from the sideline as he popped up on the injury report with a hamstring ailment and is now questionable for Sunday’s divisional clash.
