There’s a strong chance the NFL could fine George Pickens after his Thursday Night Football controversy with Greg Newsome.
In case you missed it, during the Cleveland Browns’ victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, November 21, George Pickens got into a scuffle with another player. The moment occured as the game ended, where quarterback Russell Wilson attempted a last-minute hailmary to secure the win. The game aired on Amazon’s Prime Video, and the broadcast caught a brief moment of the explosive fight.
The players’ shoving match took place right in front of the stands, and it appeared to be an intense battle. In the clip shared on X, Pickens could be seen grabbing Newsome before attempting to swing him around. When the cameras panned back to the fight, Newsome could be seen getting up while Pickens was held back by stadium personnel. “There you got Pickens upset about something,” broadcaster Al Michaels said on the air. Greg Newsome, who plays cornerback for the Browns, hasn’t said much about the fight. However, he did throw a little shade online. “Fake tough guy,” he wrote on X, followed by three laughing face emojis. However, the comments weren’t on Newsome’s side. “Your own fanbase don’t even want [you]. Don’t tweet my receiver bum,” one user wrote. “Nobody knows who [you] are,” another posted.
Will George Pickens Be Fined for His Actions?
So, will George Pickens face consequences from the NFL for his TNF controversy? Possibly!
The NFL hasn’t commented on the scuffle between the players yet. However, according to the Players Association’s code of conduct, there’s a strict rule about fighting during a game. The first offense is $39,501, while the second is $79,004.
After the game, Pickens spoke with the media, and during his chat, he trashed the Browns for their gameplay. “Conditions played a huge, huge part in today’s game,” he said. “I don’t really think the Cleveland Browns are a good team at all. The conditions kinda saved them.” The Browns’ win over the Steelers brought their team’s record for the 2024 season to three and eight.
In other news, George Pickens isn’t the only professional athlete under fire by their league for problematic behavior. Recently, Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves was fined $35,000 for making an obscene gesture to a fan during an NBA game.
Additionally, LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets was fined $100K for repeating an “anti-gay” phrase in a post-game interview. After securing a 114-115 win over the Bucks during a game, Ball spoke to the media about keeping star player Giannis Antetokounmpo away from the basket.
“We loaded up,” Ball said before adding, “No homo.”
It’s still unclear whether Pickens will face any repercussions for his behavior on TNF. But if he does, you know we’ll be talking about it.
