George Pickens Hit with Enormous Fine from Bengals Game

Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens dives for a pass against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 4, 2025. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens was fined $22,511 for unnecessary roughness (facemask) in last Saturday night’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Pickens grabbed Bengals cortnerback Cam Taylor-Britt’s by his facemask after an incompletion.

George Pickens has now been fined seven times this season, docking his wallet $90,550. The fine from last Saturday was the biggest of the year.

It’s the second week in a row that Pickens has been fined. He was fined $10,231 for unsportsmanlike conduct (removal of the helmet) in the Steelers’ Week 17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Pickens removed his helmet after he went offsides on a play in the fourth quarter. He was not penalized during the game for the infraction.

Pickens was fined a total of $20,462 for his unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the Steelers’ Week 13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. One fine was for taunting, while the other was for making a violent gesture.

Pickens was first flagged in the first half when he dropped the ball on linebacker Germaine Pratt after a catch and run and then again in the third quarter after firing an imaginary gun. Pickens claims he was making a first-down gesture.

Pickens escaped a fine in Week 12 after getting into a post-game skirmish with Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II.

Pickens received a hefty $16,883 fine for unnecessary roughness (facemask) on Washington Commanders cornerback Benjamin St-Juste in the fourth quarter of the Steelers’ Week 10 win. He was fined twice for a total of $20,463 in the Week 5 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He was fined $10,231 by the NFL for an explicit eye black message and docked $10,230 for throwing Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis down by his facemask at the conclusion of the game.

Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens at practice on Dec. 23, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

Pickens was reportedly fined over $200,000 by the team and league last year.

Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt was fined $22,511 for a helmet-to-helmet hit (unnecessary roughness) on Steelers running back Najee Harris. Harris was evaluated for a head injury but he was cleared and returned to the game.

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