PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens will have to wait to “introduce” himself to Cleveland Browns defensive back Greg Newsome II.
The first-place Steelers (9-3) made Pickens inactive for Sunday’s meeting against the Browns (3-9) because a hamstring injury that prevented him from practicing late in the week.
Newsome and Pickens ended Cleveland’s 24-19 win over the Steelers on Nov. 21 by tussling on Pittsburgh’s last-gasp Hail Mary attempt, with Pickens grabbing Newsome’s facemask as the two careened through the end zone and slammed into a restraining wall.
Afterward, Newsome called the mercurial Pickens a “fake tough guy.” Pickens responded on Friday by feigning ignorance and saying he didn’t even know who Newsome was when asked if he would talk to Newsome before the game.
Pickens, who leads the Steelers with 55 receptions for 850 yards, hadn’t missed a game in his three-year career before Sunday. He will likely be replaced in the starting lineup by Calvin Austin III, who is active after beginning the week in the concussion protocol.
Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin has grown weary of fielding questions about Pickens’ actions. Tomlin said after a victory over Cincinnati that Pickens needs to “grow up, and grow up in a hurry” after Pickens drew a pair of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties against the Bengals for post-catch celebrations, actions that earned him another set of fines from the league.
