Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens could possibly face a hefty fine for making an ill-advised decision during the team's Sunday night loss to the Dallas Cowboys. As per a report by ESPN on Wednesday, Pickens opted to write an expletive on his eye black.
Dressed to impress, yet leaving everything to be desired in terms of his actions, Pickens proudly sported the words quotOpen FOpen Alwaysquot written on his eye black during the match. Given the potential fallout that could result from having such language in a very public forum such as a sports game, this may have been a step too far for the Steelers wide receiver.
The NFL has a history of enforcing a player conduct policy that aims to encourage positive behavior and sportsmanship from all players involved. Against this backdrop, Pickens' move seems particularly noteworthy and poised to send ripples throughout the football world, with many left scratching their heads over the motivations behind his choice of words.
The prospect of Pickens having to pay a fine appears increasingly likely given recent precedents in which similar examples of conduct have been penalized. Moving forward, Pickens would be well served to re-examine his actions in high-pressure situations to avoid going down a path that may harm him and those around him professional-wise and in the public eye.