George Pickens wore expensive eye black last week.
The Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver was fined $10,231 by the NFL on Saturday for displaying a “personal message” on his eye during last week’s game against the Dallas Cowboys, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
That message, of course, was: “Open F***ing Always.”
Pickens was also reportedly fined $10,230 for a facemask penalty against the Cowboys, bringing his total bill for the game to $20,461. His actual performance in the game: three catches on seven targets for 26 yards.
It’s worth noting that the explicit nature of Pickens’ eye blackening is not what was specifically fined, although it almost certainly helped bring the matter to the attention of the NFL. NFL rules prohibit players from “carrying, displaying or otherwise conveying any personal message, whether written or illustrative, unless such message has been previously approved by the League office.”
Obviously, Pickens’ black eyes were not pre-approved by the league office.
Pickens has yet to score a touchdown this season, his third with the Steelers. He posted his first career 1,000-yard season last year and is on pace to reach the threshold again, but against the Cowboys he only saw the field for 34 snaps, his lowest total of the year.
The Steelers’ 20-17 loss to Dallas was their second straight loss, pushing their record to 3-2 and into a tie with the Baltimore Ravens atop the AFC North.
