Getty Image
After Monday’s playoff game, wide receiver George Pickens blamed the referees for his Pittsburgh Steelers losing 31-17 to the Buffalo Bills.
“To be honest, I am still stuck on this game right now with the refs,” Pickens told the media. “Refs, refs, refs. That’s the only thing that’s really on my mind when it’s blatant like it was today.”
George Pickens went on to provide some examples of what he believed were calls the referees got wrong or missed.
“You are not gonna win a game when you have to play refs and the Buffalo Bills,” Pickens continued. “That’s really what I feel like happened to us today, to be honest.
“I could see (if it was) contact down the field, ‘go’ ball, me pushing, him pushing, no call, big in, he’s low-hip, diving for the football, we both diving and making a play on the ball. But blatantly grabbing me?”
Pickens cited another example of what he felt was unfair officiating.
“When you’re out there trying to make the plays you are personally and then they just take away calls,” he continued. “Throwing a clear pass over Myles Jack’s head. They called a PI. It’s not catchable. So just, politically, when guys go back and watch the game, watch the refs.”
The most damning accusation by Pickens, however, was when he said, “It’s not got nothing to do with real ball or none of that. That’s the truth, bro. It’s the refs. The NFL is political. Put that in a quote.”
Whether Pickens is right or wrong abut the referees’ influence on the outcome of the game, there was little doubt that Buffalo Bills fans made it as difficult as possible for the Pittsburgh Steelers to succeed.
On more than one occasion, the Bills Mafia threw snowballs on to the field while Pickens and teammate Diontae Johnson were trying to catch passes for touchdowns.
George Pickens and Diontae Johnson frustrated as #Bills fans continue throwing snowballs at the #Steelers bench
— The Standard (@TheStandard412) January 15, 2024
George Pickens would end the game with 5 catches on 11 targets for 50 yards.
He also wasn’t the only one in an angry mood after the game on the Pittsburgh side.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stormed off during the post-game press conference after becoming annoyed at being asked about his future.