Sunday’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals showed the best and worst of Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens. Big plays to help the offense move downfield. A 17-yard touchdown for the team’s first touchdown, a 36-yard catch that put the Steelers in the red zone. But it was overshadowed by two costly penalties. One for a taunt, the other for unsportsmanlike conduct. And has former Bengals WR Chad Johnson ready to give Pickens a call.
“I’mma hit Young Bull. I got Georgie’s number. I’m gonna talk to him,” Johnson told co-host Shannon Sharpe on the latest episode of their Nightcap podcast. “Take some of that fun, some of that energy that you display, that you’re being penalized for. And turn that into entertainment. Turn it into entertainment. It’s okay being the villain. Embrace being the villain, enjoy being the villain. But do it in a way that it’s organized chaos within the game of football.”
Pickens was first flagged for taunting after a 21-yard reception in the first quarter. An obvious foul for dropping the ball at a defender. Even if the football wasn’t whipped at him, any action of putting or placing the ball in the opponent’s face will draw a flag every time.
The second partially negated one of the best individual plays of the afternoon. A classic Russell Wilson moonball dropped into the bucket and caught by Pickens down to the Bengals’ 13-yard-line. But Pickens was flagged for a gun gesture that cost the offense 15 yards. It’s a gesture the league’s cracked down on throughout the season and anything borderline will get flagged, even seemingly innocuous finger guns.
The penalty moved Pittsburgh from the 13 to the 28 and the Steelers’ drive ended in a blocked field goal. After the game, Pickens said he didn’t make a gun gesture. Perhaps not but the clip above shows it could be interpreted that way and wasn’t the “classic” first down signal that wouldn’t be confused with anything to draw a flag.
“It’ll catch up to you when it matters most,” Johnson said of the penalties.
While some may dislike the NFL’s strict enforcement, Sharpe likened it to his playing days when he had to keep his socks up high.
“The NFL said we want your knees covered,” Sharpe said. “I expected to get a fine if I went more than two plays without pulling my socks up.”
Point is, if you know it’s against the rules and do it anyway, don’t be surprised when you’re punished.
Chad Johnson has supported and backed Pickens throughout most portions of the season. And he’s clearly still sticking by him, vowing to make that phone call. He recognizes Pickens’ talent and that’s what should draw headlines instead of everything else that hurts him and the team.
But Pickens has surely had plenty of conversations with coaches, teammates, and external past and present players before. At some point, he’ll have to play smarter. Once he does that, he’ll be the player he wants to be. And be paid accordingly.
