George Pickens, the wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, may soon pay a price for his difficult performance during Thursday night’s 24-19 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Game officials and stadium security had to intervene to break up a brawl between Pickens and Browns CB Greg Newsome II after the Steelers’ final Hail Mary try went incomplete. Given that the NFL has clear rules against fighting during games and cites a fine of $39,501 for a first offence, Pickens may face penalty from the league. Despite the fact that neither Pickens nor Newsome received a flag on the play, the league frequently revisits and punishes players for actions that officials missed.
The Steelers wide receiver may also be fined for his postgame remarks in which he criticised the officials for failing to call a pass interference flag on Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. during a fourth-quarter third-down pass attempt. After the game, Pickens told reporters, “That’s what I’m saying,” according to ESPN. “The conditions and away game refs.” As snow started to quickly build throughout the game, Pickens stated that he thought the Steelers were the superior team, but the Browns profited from the calls and careless field conditions.
“Conditions played a huge, huge part in today’s game,” Pickens stated. “The Cleveland Browns aren’t a very good team, in my opinion. The circumstances may have saved them today. Pickens said that a possible touchdown pass from quarterback Russell Wilson that went incomplete was influenced by the heavy precipitation. “The snow, the conditions were so bad,” he stated. Sometimes, I don’t even think the quarterback could see. And when circumstances like that are present at the opponent’s home field, it somewhat works in their favour.
Additionally, Pickens was the target of a play that could result in a fine for the Browns. Earlier in the game, safety Grant Delpit was given a flag for unsportsmanlike behaviour after he grabbed Pickens’ mouthpiece off his helmet and threw it to the ground.