Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the first half of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 44-38 win over the Cincinnati Bengals for taunting, and during Pittsburgh’s first drive of the second half, Pickens had a second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which is usually grounds for ejection. However, while announcing the penalty, referee Shawn Hochuli explained that the type of unsportsmanlike penalty wasn’t the type that was grounds for ejection, and he further clarified why in the pool report. Per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, Hochuli said that Pickens wasn’t ejected because he wasn’t directly taunting an opponent on the play.
Pickens apparently made a first-down gesture that looked like a gun with his fingers, and that’s something the NFL has heavily cracked down on this season. The gesture wasn’t made toward the Bengals or to taunt anyone, and was just him celebrating his first down on a 36-yard reception from WR Russell Wilson. The gesture cost the Steelers 15 yards, but it didn’t cost them Pickens, who finished the game with three receptions for 76 yards. Mike Tomlin said after the game that Pickens needs to “grow up,” and the penalty will surely be something that’s discussed with Pickens this week.
While the emphasis on cracking down on gun-related gestures has largely been enforced this year, it’s not the first time the Steelers have been the target of punishment for it. Back in 2022, the team saw 13 defenders fined for a gun gesture following an interception against the Colts in Week 12, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Pickens hit with a fine next Saturday. He also might get another for his first half taunting penalty.
It’s a costly penalty that simply can’t happen for the Steelers, and instead of a 1st and 10 from the Cincinnati 13, they were backed up to the Bengals’ 28-yard line and were forced to settle for a field goal on the drive, which wound up being blocked. The Steelers won, so it didn’t hurt them as much as it could have, but Pickens can’t keep hurting the Steelers with immature penalties. At this point in his career, he should know better, and he can’t negate his good plays by walking the offense back due to a penalty.
For his part, Pickens said he thought he was making a first-down gesture and the ref saw it differently, but the gun gesture is one that guys just can’t do anymore. It’s going to be a penalty if the official sees it, and Pickens learned that the hard way today.
