Steelers WR George Pickens responds to NFL investigation into his eye black message

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens is opening up about the message he had on his eye black during the Sunday Night Football game against the Dallas Cowboys. While speaking to reporters on Thursday Pickens was asked about the message which said, “Open F***ing always.”

“It’s just eye black,” Pickens said. One reporter then asked Pickens if he expected to receive blowback about the message.

“Nah,” Pickens answered. The former Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver was then asked if he had heard from the NFL about the eye black message. Pickens responded by shaking his head.

According to ESPN, the NFL is reviewing the message for a potential fine over a violation of the league’s uniform policy. The league rules state that players are prohibited from “wearing, displaying or otherwise conveying personal messages either in writing or illustration, unless such message has been approved in advance by the League office.”

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he was not aware of Pickens’ eye black. “I don’t know what messaging you’re talking about regarding his eye black,” Tomlin said Tuesday. “I didn’t have any outlying issue with his effort.”

George Pickens played 34 snaps on Sunday Night

Sunday was not a good day for Pickens. The 23-year-old played a career-low 34 snaps which led to him declining a postgame interview request and not making himself available for reporters on Monday. After the game, Tomlin said Pickens’ low snap count was part of a “snap management” strategy.

“I didn’t have any outlying issue with his effort,” Tomlin said, per ESPN. “As I mentioned after the game … that’s just a snap management thing and an effort to be more productive in today’s game regarding analytics, we do it across a lot of positions, particularly when you look at the totality of a 17-game schedule. I’d imagine Cam Heyward, for example, is playing less snaps than he has just trying to grow and trying to get optimum productivity among some individuals and going about the best means of doing so, and so that’s probably a reflection of the snap totality of last week.”

Pickens is coming off a 2023 season where he caught 63 passes for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns. Through five games this year, Pickens has caught 23 passes for 310 yards and no TDs.