Steelers' George Pickens Fined Over $20,000 for Eye Black Message, Facemask vs. Cowboys

Oct 12, 2024, 08:04 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens is facing scrutiny after wearing an explicit message on his eye black during the team's loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The message, reading "Open F***ing Always," prompted an investigation by the NFL for violating uniform policies that prohibit unapproved personal messages. Pickens, unaware of the policy, dismissed the concerns, stating, "It's just eye black," and, when informed of previous fines for similar offenses, responded, "Years ago? When I wasn't in the league? So nah." In addition to the eye black incident, Pickens was involved in a confrontation with Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis, during which he grabbed Lewis's facemask. The NFL fined Pickens $10,230 for the facemask infraction and $10,231 for displaying the personal message on his eye black. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin addressed questions about Pickens, expressing no concerns over the player's effort or the eye black message, saying, "I didn't have any outlying issue with his effort." Reports indicate that the Steelers organization has spoken to Pickens about his conduct, emphasizing that "football is a team sport," according to teammate Pat Freiermuth. The NFL continues to enforce its uniform and conduct policies to maintain professionalism across teams. The fines issued to Pickens underscore the league's commitment to these standards.