George Pickens had a memorable night in Pittsburgh — at least when it came to his actions on the sideline.
The Steelers' receivers appeared to be on their toes, along with fans on the sideline at Acresure Stadium, but the home team lost 19-17 to the rival Bengals, preserving Cincinnati's slim playoff hopes.
In footage shared on social media, Pickens, 23, can be seen having a tense exchange with people in the stands before Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth intervened.
The former second-round pick had a meager performance against Cincinnati with three drops on six targets. He also had one reception for zero yards.
Saturday's regular-season finale was Pickens' worst game of the year, but he did not speak to the media afterward. According to ESPN.
Pickens has become a lightning rod for criticism in recent weeks.
In early December, the former Georgia wideout drew the ire of head coach Mike Tomlin after receiving two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in a Week 13 win over the Bengals.
“He's got to grow up,” Tomlin said at the time. “This is an emotional game. These divisional games are big. He's George, so he's got a target on his back. He understands that. But he's got to grow, and We have to grow up quickly.”
Former NFL receiver Terrell Owens also criticized Pickens' performance during his three catches for 50 yards against the Chiefs on Christmas Day.
Reply to comments Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward said on social media, “If 10 guys do their job and one guy doesn't, we're screwed.'' Owens said, “Similarly on offense, No. 14 is me. INT.
Despite the growing negativity surrounding Pickens, Wilson, who went 17-for-31 for 148 yards and a touchdown on Saturday, remained steadfast in his belief in the wideout.
“I believe in George,” the 36-year-old quarterback said, according to ESPN. “Listen, everything isn't necessarily perfect for everyone. This is an imperfect game and everything else. I believe in George and the player he is, the player he is. I believe in
The Steelers enter the postseason with four games in a row.
If the Chargers lose to the Raiders on Sunday, the Steelers will become the No. 5 seed in the AFC and will play the Texans in Houston.
If Los Angeles wins, the sixth-seeded Steelers will play Baltimore on the road.
The Ravens defeated the Browns 35-10 on Saturday to be crowned AFC North champions.
