To use his words, George Pickens went “super, super, super crazy” against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16 last season, helping the Steelers spark a three-game winning streak with four catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-11 win. After the second of his two touchdowns, Pickens pointed at safety Jordan Battle as he dove to the ground in a failed tackle attempt, and Pickens admitted he was “just disrespecting bro” with the point.
Pickens said in an interview with Prospect Media that he reminisces about the Week 16 game, and it has him ready to go crazy this season.
“I’d probably say the Bengals game, just me going super, super, super crazy on the Bengals. Make me get ready for this year too, to go crazy again.”
Pickens added that the celebrations that game were crazy, and he wanted to troll the Bengals, whom he claims were trolling the week before in a win over the Minnesota Vikings, but his point to Battle was different.
“The celly’s was crazy that game. I was really trolling the Bengals ’cause they did it the week before. And then when I pointed to bro on the ground, I was just disrespecting bro. I ain’t gonna fake it,” Pickens said.
Mason to Pickens Two #Steelers pic.twitter.com/BZkmGsPpCI
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) December 23, 2023
For Pickens, it was a breakout game after a week filled with controversy. He failed to give effort on a block in Week 15 against the Colts and then seemed to defend his actions to the media that week. But he showed up in primetime on Saturday night and exploded against Cincinnati, and the emotions bubbled up with his point at Battle in a heated AFC North affair.
The point cost Pickens $16,391, as he was fined for unsportsmanlike conduct due to the point. Battle was a rookie safety out of Alabama who Pickens matched up with during his college career at Georgia, and with the Georgia-Alabama rivalry being one of the best-emerging rivalries in college football, adding a taste of it to Steelers-Bengals was pretty fun. Although, I’m not even sure if Pickens knew who he was pointing at, and he just saw a body on the ground as he waltzed into the end zone and decided to have a little fun with it.
The week before, the Bengals had a comeback overtime win against the Vikings, and Jake Browning was seen on the sidelines taunting Minnesota, something he apologized for at the time. But Pickens clearly paid attention to Cincinnati’s actions the week prior, and with him having the best game of his career, he decided to give it right back to the Bengals.
The touchdown and point have been a defining play of Pickens’ career so far, and hopefully, he can continue to add to his portfolio of big plays this season-ideally without a fine attached.
