PITTSBURGH — The NFL is currently looking into an incident involving Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens after he wore an explicit message on his eye black during Sunday night’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. The message, which read “Open F—ing Always,” was displayed in silver on Pickens’ eye black and could lead to a possible fine for violating the league’s uniform policy.
According to a league source, the NFL is reviewing the situation, and any penalties are expected to be included in the game-day accountability report released on Saturday. The rules state that players are not allowed to display personal messages unless they have received prior approval from the league office. This incident recalls previous cases where players have been penalized for similar displays, emphasizing the league’s strict approach to its uniform policy.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin addressed the situation during a media briefing, stating he was not aware of the message on Pickens’ eye black. “I don’t know what messaging you’re talking about regarding his eye black,” Tomlin said. He also expressed no issues with Pickens’ effort on the field, although the wide receiver played just 34 snaps, marking a career low for him in a game.
Pickens did not participate in postgame interviews and was unavailable to the media during Monday’s open locker room, leaving fans and analysts curious about his thoughts on the matter. The Steelers have a history of players facing fines for such personal messages. For instance, Cam Heyward was fined in 2015 for a tribute to his late father and DeAngelo Williams received a fine for honoring his family members who passed away due to breast cancer.
The league has shown a firm stance on maintaining uniformity on the field, and the outcome of Pickens’ case could shed more light on how strictly these rules will continue to be enforced.
