Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens was not impressed with the Cleveland Browns, even after his team suffered a 24-19 loss to their divisional rival on Thursday night. Following the game, Pickens was blunt in his assessment of Cleveland’s performance.
“The conditions played a huge, huge part in today’s game. I don’t really think the Cleveland Browns are a good team at all,” Pickens said in his postgame comments, as reported by Alan Saunders of Steelers Now.
The game was a classic AFC North battle, with both teams fighting through heavy snowfall that began in the second half, adding an extra layer of drama to an already intense rivalry.
The Browns seemed to take advantage of the adverse weather, building a 12-point lead early in the fourth quarter. The Steelers, however, showed resilience and fought back, scoring 13 unanswered points midway through the final frame to take a one-point lead.
Just when it looked like Pittsburgh might escape with a comeback victory, Browns running back Nick Chubb delivered the decisive blow. Chubb scored a short touchdown run with just 57 seconds remaining, sealing the win for Cleveland and breaking the hearts of Steelers fans who had hoped their team’s winning streak would continue.
Pickens, however, refused to give credit to the Browns, instead pointing to the weather as the primary reason for Cleveland’s success. “The conditions kind of saved them today,” he added, clearly implying that, under normal circumstances, the Steelers would have prevailed.
The loss snapped Pittsburgh’s impressive five-game winning streak, though they still remain at the top of the AFC North standings with an 8-3 record. The Browns, on the other hand, improved to 3-8, having struggled throughout much of the 2024 season. Despite the loss, the Steelers are still in a strong position, while Cleveland continues to face an uphill battle in the division.
Pickens had a relatively quiet night, finishing with just four catches for 48 yards—his lowest yardage total since veteran quarterback Russell Wilson took over as the team’s starter on October 20. The challenging weather and Cleveland’s defensive efforts seemed to keep Pickens from making his usual impact.
The game ended with even more drama as cameras caught Pickens apparently getting involved in a skirmish with Browns defensive back Greg Newsome in the end zone after the final whistle. When asked about the altercation in his postgame interview, Pickens downplayed the situation. “Nothing happened,” he said, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN.
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Despite Pickens’ dismissal of the incident, Newsome seemingly addressed it on social media after the game, adding to the ongoing rivalry and tension between the two teams.
As the Steelers and Browns continue to battle for supremacy in the AFC North, it’s clear that emotions are running high, and this latest chapter only adds more fuel to the fire for their next meeting.
