Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens raised eyebrows on Wednesday when he congratulated Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce after their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Mahomes and Kelce joined Netflix’s Stacey Dales to talk about the team’s 29-10 victory.
Mahomes had 320 passing yards and three touchdowns, while Kelce had eight receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown and reached the 1,000 career reception mark during the game.
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Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid (20) hits Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) during the second half, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
As the two star players spoke, Pickens interrupted the interview to pay his respects.
The move sparked debate among fans. Some praised Pickens for his good sportsmanship, while others were cynical and thought it was a signal from the wide receiver to the Chiefs star to influence a trade at some point in the future.
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Pickens had three receptions on seven targets for 50 yards.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) hug after a game on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
The wide receiver has been a source of consternation all season long. He got into a fight with a Cleveland Browns player on one of the final plays of last month’s game. He was then hit with two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in a win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was asked about Pickens’ antics earlier this month.
“I’m not going to give you any details about what happens behind the scenes in terms of his growth and development,” Tomlin said. “That’s my style, and I’m going to be very consistent in it. Being transparent with you doesn’t necessarily help or speed up the growth process, and that’s my agenda, not necessarily feeding the beast.”
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) catches Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams (2) during the second half, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Wednesday’s game was Pickens’ first after missing three due to injuries.
