Report: George Pickens Arrived Late for Steelers Game vs. Chiefs
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens reportedly was late to the team’s Christmas Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs, to go along with several other transgressions this season.
According to a report by Mike DeFabo of The Athletic on Tuesday, Pickens arrived at Acrisure Stadium 40 minutes late for the game between the Steelers and Chiefs on Dec. 25.
Steelers players are expected to arrive at Acrisure Stadium at least two hours before kickoff for a home game. Pickens reportedly arrived an hour and 25 minutes before the 1 p.m. kickoff, 35 minutes late.
That was the game where Pickens ran to the sideline, instead of down field as Russell Wilson was expecting, on an interception in the end zone.
It was a game before Pickens was spotted on the sideline yelling at fans during home a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, with tight end Pat Freiermuth having to pull him away.
Pickens was also fined for unnecessary roughness in that game, unsportsmanlike conduct for removing his helmet against the Chiefs, twice for taunting and making a gun-shooting gesture against the Bengals in Week 13, and for facemasks against the Washington Commanders in Week 10 and Dallas Cowboys in Week 5.
In total, Pickens received $80,317 in fines from the NFL for on-field actions during the 2024 season. He was also fined an undisclosed amount for wearing a profane message on his eye black against the Cowboys.
Pickens could also have been fined by the team for offenses such as arriving late to the Chiefs game. A team source told Steelers Now that Pickens had to be threatened with such a fine to get him to speak to the media following the Steelers’ season-ending loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday. Last season, he was reportedly fined a total of over $200,000 between the league and his team.
The Steelers will have to make a decision about whether to extend Pickens, trade him or let him play out the final year of his rookie contract this offseason.
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