The Pittsburgh Steelers will visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, hoping to shake off the loss to the Cleveland Browns with a divisional win to stay atop the AFC North.
In doing so, they can leave Week 12’s 25-19 loss – and all the chaos that came with it – behind and get things back on track.
Receiver George Pickens didn’t seem too keen in leaving Week 12’s storylines back in Week 12.
Pickens spent the last play of Pittsburgh’s loss fighting a Cleveland Browns defensive back, driving him into the wall behind the end zone as the game came to a close. He then barely spoke in the postgame media availability, calling the Browns a bad team despite the outcome.
He had a chance to explain his actions, render the moment a non-story, or give the media a cliche response when they asked him on Friday. Instead, he channeled former Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch.
"George Pickens opted to go the Marshawn Lynch route about any question related to the scuffle at the end of the Browns game and on one about how to improve the red zone offense. He also said Cincinnati had a 'potent' offense," as noted in Brooke Pryor's post on X.
“I’m just here so I won’t get fined,” he said when asked about what the offense must change in the red zone offense.
When asked if the league had said anything about Cleveland corner Greg Newsome and the scuffle that ended the Thursday Night Football festivities, Pickens restated his answer. And when asked to respond about Newsome’s “fake tough guy” comments, he repeated himself.
Pickens’ comments (or lack thereof) aren’t necessarily an indictment of how the Steelers are handling the situation. In fact, head coach Mike Tomlin’s recent press conferences would suggest things are being handled internally, with the coach deflecting for the sake of protecting his player.
Regardless, this story isn’t over. Pickens could’ve ended it. Instead, the receiver will be closely monitored both by fans and league officials as Pittsburgh endures a stretch of four consecutive divisional games.
With the Browns waiting on the other end of Sunday’s contest, all eyes will be on Pickens when the Steelers take the field in Week 13.
