CLEVELAND, Ohio — Once the scoreboard turned to three zeros, the Browns had officially defeated the Steelers in a 24-19 snowy victory. Pittsburgh star wideout George Pickens made his feelings known about the Browns once the game was over.
“Conditions played a huge, huge part in today’s game,” Pickens said. “I don’t really think the Cleveland Browns are a good team at all. I think the conditions saved them today.”
On the last play of the game, quarterback Russell Wilson waited a bit in the pocket before throwing a Hail Mary. Among the players downfield was Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II, who was covering Pickens toward the back of the end zone.
Wilson’s pass reached the end zone and was batted down by Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit to conclude the game. But moments before the pass was batted down, the Amazon Prime broadcast showed Pickens grabbing and pulling Newsome through the end zone.
As the other players in the end zone were walking off, Pickens and Newsome were going at it.
Referees were seen trying to break it up, and others behind the end zone even got in the middle of it to break the two apart.
Newsome posted on X after the game, “Fake tough guy,” followed by three laughing emojis.
Pittsburgh teammate Mike Williams could be seen attending to Pickens in the midst of the fight breaking up.
“I don’t know what was going on. I was looking for him, and then I seen him in the stands, so I just went over there to get him. I don’t know what was going on,” Williams said.
Pickens finished Thursday night with four catches on seven targets for 48 yards, including a 31-yard reception toward the latter part of the first quarter.
He caught all three targets in the first quarter for 41 yards, but was limited thereafter.
During Pittsburgh’s last touchdown series in the fourth period, Wilson threw it deep to Pickens for a potential 27-yard touchdown catch. Pickens created space in the endzone, but the timing seemed off between where the ball was going and where Pickens was, potentially due to the weather.
“The snow, the conditions were so bad,” Pickens said. “I don’t even think (Wilson) could see sometimes. And when you got conditions like that, at the opponents’ home field, it kind of plays in their favor.
On multiple occasions after a pass targeted for him became an incompletion, Pickens could be seen signaling for a penalty.
“That’s what I’m saying…the conditions and away-game refs,” Pickens said.
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