Steelers wide receiver George Pickens caught three passes for 73 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s win over the Bengals, but his negative plays were a bigger topic of conversation at head coach Mike Tomlin’s postgame press conference.
Pickens committed two personal fouls — one for taunting and one for making finger guns after a catch — that could have cost the Steelers a lot more than 30 yards in a different game. Pickens told reporters that officials misinterpreted his hand gesture, but Tomlin said the onus is on Pickens to mature.
“He’s just got to grow up, man,” Tomlin said. “This is an 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.”
Pickens was involved in a fight with Browns cornerback Greg Newsome at the end of the team’s Week 12 loss and he’s had other issues with emotional outbursts during his time in Pittsburgh. They didn’t get in the way of a win this Sunday, but Tomlin would still like to see them out of the picture.
