NFL Reviewing Explicit Eye Black George Pickens Wore During Steelers' Loss to Cowboys

The Pittsburgh wide receiver may be in hot water with the league.

George Pickens carries the ball against the Colts. / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

After a quiet evening against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, it appears Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens may have run afoul of the NFL.

The league is reviewing the explicit eye black Pickens wore during the game for potential discipline, according to a Wednesday morning report from Brooke Pryor of ESPN.

"I don't know what messaging you're talking about regarding his eye black," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told reporters Tuesday when asked about the topic. "I didn't have any outlying issue with his effort."

Pickens's eyeblack read "open f---ing always;" while wearing the eye black Sunday night. He caught just three passes for 26 yards—his lowest yardage total of the season.

As Pryor noted, "The league has a history of fining players ... for sharing personal messages on game day."

The NFL rulebook prohibits players from "wearing, displaying or otherwise conveying personal messages either in writing or illustration, unless such message has been approved in advance by the league office."

Pittsburgh is scheduled to play the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.

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