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Brooke Pryor, ESPN Staff Writer
CINCINNATI — Third-year Pittsburgh Steelers huge receiver George Pickens drew the ire of his head coach for drawing two pricey unsportsmanlike penalty flags in Sunday’s 44-38 win towards the Cincinnati Bengals.
“He’s simply received to develop up, man,” coach Mike Tomlin mentioned. “This is an emotional sport, man. These divisional video games are massive. He received a goal on his again as a result of he is George, he understands that. But he is received to develop up. He’s received to develop up in a rush.”
Pickens, who was additionally concerned in a scuffle with Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II throughout a Hail Mary try final week, led the Steelers with 74 yards receiving on three catches with a landing, however he drew 15-yard penalties after two of his catches. He additionally punted the ball into the stands after scoring the 17-yard landing within the first quarter, a celebration that might earn him a high quality from the NFL.
After the sport, Pickens mentioned there wasn’t something he wanted to do otherwise in these conditions.
“No, truthfully, like I mentioned, I can simply preserve operating my routes, preserve taking part in,” he mentioned. “We received refs on the market to make sure requires sure penalties, sure flags. If they do not make it, then I’m fairly certain they’re going to take it up [inaudible].”
He additionally added: “To be trustworthy, it was form of a ticky-tack sport, and I’m simply glad we got here out with the dub.”
Pickens was known as for his first unsportsmanlike penalty as he threw the ball down at a gaggle of Bengals defenders after making a 21-yard snag on the third drive of the primary quarter. The Steelers have been nonetheless credited with the primary down, however the penalty resulted in only a six-yard achieve.
Then within the third quarter, Pickens was flagged for one more unsportsmanlike penalty when he appeared to make a gun-like gesture after a 36-yard achieve on a moon ball from Russell Wilson that will’ve put the Steelers on the 13-yard line.
Instead, the Steelers have been backed as much as the 28, and after three unsuccessful performs, the crew introduced out Chris Boswell to strive a area objective. Boswell’s kick was blocked — his first ever unsuccessful area objective try at Paul Brown Stadium — and the Steelers turned the ball again over to the Bengals with only a six-point lead.
Afterward, Pickens mentioned the official misinterpreted his hand sign.
“They mentioned they received the gesture fallacious,” Pickens mentioned. “You know what I imply? Thought it was one thing else. You cannot harm the crew. I by no means supposed to harm the crew, however he simply thought the gesture was totally different. “… I used to be doing the primary down, he acknowledged he thought [it was] one thing else.”
Though that penalty was Pickens’ second unsportsmanlike flag of the afternoon, he wasn’t disqualified as a result of the motion wasn’t directed on the Bengals, referee Shawn Hochuli mentioned in a pool report.
“The rule of two unsportsmanlike conduct fouls for disqualification actually applies to tautening-type acts directed in direction of an opponent,” Hochuli mentioned. “The first of these fouls was of that nature — his first within the first half was a taunt for throwing the ball on the participant. On the second, nonetheless, it was not directed at an opponent and so it is not thought of a taunt. It’s an unsportsmanlike conduct foul however not thought of a taunt that will apply in direction of disqualification.”
Pickens has been a frequent headline-maker since he was chosen by the Steelers within the second spherical of the 2022 draft, together with earlier this season when he was fined for writing an specific message on his eye black for the Steelers’ Sunday night time sport towards the Dallas Cowboys. In that very same sport, Pickens earned one other high quality for pulling Cowboys defensive again Jourdan Lewis down by the facemask after the ultimate play of the sport. Pickens can be no stranger to altercations in video games towards the Bengals and was ejected within the ultimate seconds of the 2022 sport for a late hit on receiver Tyler Boyd throughout an onside kick try.
Pickens received pissed off early in Sunday’s win when he received twisted up with Bengals defensive again Cam Taylor-Britt on the primary sequence and fell to the bottom. Taylor-Britt appeared to seize Pickens’ helmet and power him down, however Hochuli mentioned within the pool report it was “incidental contact.”
“We dominated the receiver stumbled proper off the road after which there was incidental contact that introduced him down,” Hochuli mentioned. “If there was a possible seize or maintain, that was at an angle that we would not have seen.” As a outcome, Taylor-Britt picked off Wilson’s go supposed for Pickens and returned it for a landing whereas Pickens sat on the sector gesturing to the official for the shortage of penalty.
“Plays occur,” Pickens mentioned. “Guys maintain me. I’m going to get held. I’m one of many prime receivers, so I’m going to get held. You simply received to make performs when it occurs.”
Asked if he thought officers had a goal on his again, Pickens mentioned he “hoped not.”
“I’m solely out right here simply taking part in like each different receiver within the league,” Pickens mentioned. “Certain calls do not go my approach. All you are able to do is simply preserve taking part in.”
“He’s simply received to develop up, man. This is an emotional sport, man. These divisional video games are massive. He received a goal on his again as a result of he is George, he understands that. But he is received to develop up. He’s received to develop up in a rush.”
Mike Tomlin, on George Pickens
Offensive lineman Broderick Jones, who spent two years with Pickens at Georgia, tried to calm his teammate down through the sport, speaking with him intently on the sector after the penalties.
“I do not attempt to give him a complete speech or whatnot, only a couple phrases of encouragement or simply be sensible,” Jones mentioned. “‘Everybody is aware of you are a playmaker, we simply received to cease the silly issues.’ That’s with me, too, as effectively. He talks to me, as effectively, so I attempt to do the identical factor for him.
“We simply attempt to preserve one another in line and simply ensuring we’ve got one another’s backs.”
Wilson mentioned he additionally talked with Pickens through the sport about protecting his feelings in examine, reminding him on the sideline that he would not need to do something “further” after massive performs as a result of he is anticipated to make them.
“It’s ardour, and so typically that takes over and I feel that simply with the ability to stability it, I assumed he did an awesome job responding,” Wilson mentioned. “And I simply assume that you just simply received to grasp that once you’re at among the finest receivers on this planet, everyone’s going to have their eyes on you, and simply you bought to grasp that simply to remain impartial, keep poised in these moments and nonetheless deliver pleasure. Don’t change that however simply perceive that.
“I used to be telling him on the sideline once you’re among the finest on this planet, you anticipate to make these performs, and also you needn’t do something further essentially. … He’s studying it as we go. He’s received to be smarter, too, although, and he is going to try this.”
