The Pittsburgh Steelers–Cleveland Browns rivalry is alive and well. Just two weeks ago, Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II trolled Steelers wide receiver George Pickens after Cleveland defeated Pittsburgh 24-19.
Two days before the rematch, Pickens didn’t have any trash talk for Newsome. But he still found a way to take a major dig at the Browns cornerback.
“I don’t even know who that is,” Pickens told reporters on December 6, via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, when asked whether he’s talked to Newsome.
Pickens didn’t have kind words for the Browns either. Even after losing in Week 12, the third-year wideout said Cleveland wasn’t “a good team at all.”
Pickens doubled down on that assertion on December 6.
“I just go by the record,” he said.
The Browns are 3-9 this season.
Browns’ Greg Newsome Responds to Steelers WR George Pickens
The potential beef between Pickens and Newsome seems to have begun when the two engaged in a physical altercation in the back of the end zone on the final play of Week 12. After the game, Newsome posted a social media message that appeared pointed at Pickens.
“Fake tough guy,” Newsome tweeted with three laughing emojis.
Newsome addressed Pickens more directly on December 6.
“I’m all about the team,” Newsome told reporters, via ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi. “Obviously, he’s a guy who cares more so about himself and you can see that in the penalties he causes.”
It’s possible Newsome is going to try and bait Pickens into taking a costly penalty in Week 14. Pickens committed two 15-yard penalties in the Week 13 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals. That generated a lot of talk around Pickens in the Pittsburgh sports media this past week.
Pickens would be wise to ignore Newsome on December 8. That shouldn’t be hard if Pickens truly doesn’t know who Newsome is.
Regardless of whether that’s true or not, treating an opponent as not important enough to know by name is still one of the biggest insults one can cast in the NFL.
This season, Pickens leads the Steelers with 55 catches and 850 receiving yards. Newsome has 25 combined tackles with 5 pass defenses and 1 interception.
Social Media Reacts to Pickens Not Knowing Newsome
There were positive and negative reactions to Pickens stating he didn’t know Newsome by name. Those reactions fell mostly by team lines, with Steelers fans loving it and Browns fans criticizing Pickens for the remark.
“Big facts,” Danny Stein wrote in response to Pickens on X (formerly Twitter).
“Honestly I believe him,” wrote You Tell Me What I Just Said. “I don’t think George Pickens see other players as anything other than npc while he’s out there on the field.”
“Best line of the year,” wrote Irish Fan.
However, the remark wasn’t universally praised.
“Weird way of saying you don’t watch film,” wrote Ryan Katz.
“Not knowing who a notable starter is on the other team is always the corniest thing you can say,” wrote Kunal.
It’s a little difficult to believe Pickens tried to fight another player that he doesn’t know by name. But with Pickens, a lot of unusual things are possible.
