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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens is known for his athleticism, highlight-reel catches, and fiery personality — but his growing list of fines has become just as notable as his on-field performances. Following a taunting penalty in the Cowboys’ 27-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on “Monday Night Football,” the 24-year-old receiver faces yet another hit to his wallet. Pickens’ latest infraction — holding the ball out toward a defender after a key catch — drew a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct and could result in an $11,593 fine under the NFL’s taunting policy. George Pickens’ History of Fines and On-Field Discipline Before joining the NFL, Pickens built a reputation at the University of Georgia as a passionate, sometimes volatile player. During the 2019 rivalry game against Georgia Tech, he got into a heated fight with cornerback Tre Swilling, throwing punches and even attempting to push him into a wall in the end zone. Both players were ejected, and Pickens was suspended for the first half of the SEC Championship Game. “I mean, don’t be stupid,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said after the incident, via ESPN. “It’s just silly, it’s selfish, it’s undisciplined. I always ask guys, ‘Was it worth it?’ It’s not worth it to me when you hurt the team.” Though Pickens later apologized and finished his college career without further suspensions, his emotional style carried over to the NFL. According to Sporting News, in 2023, as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pickens was fined multiple times for unnecessary roughness and taunting — including two separate $8,525 penalties in a win over the Los Angeles Rams. After the game, Pickens told reporters he felt targeted. “They’re kind of looking for me to mess up and guys are antagonizing me more because today is the first time I’d seen anything like that,” he said. That same season, the NFL fined him $16,391 for waving at Cincinnati Bengals defenders during a touchdown celebration — a move deemed taunting even though no flag was thrown on the field. By season’s end, CBS Sports reported that Pickens had racked up more than $200,000 in total fines from the league and the team combined. Repeated Incidents Lead to NFL Scrutiny Pickens’ reputation for emotional outbursts followed him into 2024. He was fined twice in a loss to the Cowboys — once for grabbing cornerback Jourdan Lewis’ facemask ($10,230) and again for wearing unapproved eye black that read “Open (expletive) Always,” which cost him another $10,231. He later added a $16,883 fine for a facemask penalty in a win over the Washington Commanders and was involved in a postgame fight with Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II. Although the NFL did not discipline him for the altercation, it reignited conversations about Pickens’ maturity. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin addressed the issue bluntly after a December 2024 game: “He’s just gotta grow up. This is an emotional game, man. He’s got a target on his back because he’s George. He understands that, but he’s got to grow up — and he’s got to grow up in a hurry.” By the end of the 2024 season, Pickens had accumulated $90,548 in fines, prompting Pittsburgh to trade him to the Cowboys during the offseason. 2025 Season: George Pickens Has a New Team, Same Issues Despite the change of scenery, Pickens’ disciplinary issues have continued into 2025. In Week 2, he was fined twice — $14,491 for a “finger gun” celebration against the New York Giants and another $14,491 for removing his helmet before leaving the field. Then, in Week 7 against Washington, he was fined $11,593 for taunting after gesturing toward a defender following a first-down catch. Now, with another potential fine looming after the Week 9 incident, Pickens’ total career fines are estimated to exceed $350,000 — a staggering number for a player still on his rookie-scale contract. The Cowboys, who traded for Pickens in hopes of adding a playmaker to their offense, now find themselves managing both his talent and his temperament.
