George Pickens once again played a vital role in keying the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 44-38 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, recording three catches for 74 yards and a touchdown. But the wide receiver also found himself in the spotlight for his after-the-whistle actions earned two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
Pickens’ first infraction came after a 21-yard catch in the first quarter for taunting. On the first drive of the second half, he celebrated a 36-yard reception by extending his arm while holding his thumb and two fingers out. That drew a flag, with the league this season emphasizing penalties for celebrations that involve imitating a gun.
Pickens said after the game, however, that officials misinterpreted the act and that he was merely trying to signal a first down.
‘You can’t hurt the team,’ Pickens said in a postgame news conference. ‘I never intend to hurt the team. (The official) just thought the gesture was different.’
Despite the setbacks, Pittsburgh posted its highest scoring output of the season and clinched a winning season. Russell Wilson’s 414 passing yards also represented a team best for 2024.
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‘He’s just got to grow up, man,’ Tomlin said in a postgame news conference. ‘This emotional game, man, these divisional games are big. He’s got a target on his back because he’s George, he understands that, but he’s got to grow up. He’s got to grow up in a hurry.’
In last week’s loss to the Cleveland Browns, Pickens had a tussle with Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II on the final play of the game and said Cleveland was not ‘a good team at all.’
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