Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens is calling out the NFL after a spectacular catch in last night’s match-up between the New York Jets and the Houston Texas, seeming to believe that the league has a “vendetta against him.”
George Pickens #14 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts after catching a pass for a first down during the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on December 31, 2023 in Seattle, Washington.
Jane Gershovich/Getty Images
In the New York Jets’ 21-13 victory against the Houston Texans, wide receiver Garrett Wilson pulled off an incredible one-handed catch. He made a spectacular twirling grab, getting one foot and a shin down in bounds for the touchdown, which was confirmed after a replay review.
This seemed to strike a nerve in Pickens, who made a not-dissimilar catch during this week’s Monday Night Football, in which the Steelers defeated the New York Giants 26-18.
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Pickens’ catch was reversed after it was originally ruled a touchdown. Unlike Wilson, who managed to get a foot and a shin down, Pickens only had one foot down twice. According to the NFL rulebook, a shin counts as a second foot, but having one foot down two times is still considered just one foot.
Pickens swiftly went to Instagram, posting a now-deleted Story in which he complained, ” But that’s a catch. Lmfaooo NFL BE HAVING VENDETTAS TOWARD CERTAIN PLAYERS.”
It is worth noting that, according to the rulebook, both calls on Pickens and Wilson are correct. However, that certainly doesn’t prevent the Steelers star from being upset about what happened or fans also contesting the call.
On Twitter/X, numerous fans weighed in about the Pickens call. @RGIII posted to assert, “If this is a catch by Garrett Wilson, then George Pickens getting one foot down twice should also be a catch.” Similarly, @zackjflowers questioned, “How is that a Garrett Wilson touchdown when George Pickens did the same thing Monday and they called it incomplete.”
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Despite both player and fan frustrations, the rules about what counts as a foot touching the ground are unlikely to change anytime soon. Pickens began this season slowly, struggling with consistency while Justin Fields was the starting quarterback in the first six games.
However, he truly broke out in Week 7 when Russell Wilson stepped in as the starting quarterback. In that game, Pickens had his best performance of the 2024 season, scoring his first touchdown and racking up 111 receiving yards.
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