Pat Freiermuth trolls George Pickens after Steelers TE punted ball into stands

Just two weeks ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers suffered their third loss of the season against the Cleveland Browns under heavy snowfall. On Sunday, the Steelers welcomed the Browns to Acrisure Stadium and exacting revenge in a 27-14 victory.

There was concern about how the Steelers offense would perform without star wide receiver George Pickens, who was ruled out with a Grade 2 hamstring injury prior to the game. In the first quarter, Pittsburgh didn't seem capable of producing points without Pickens on the field. The Steelers punted the ball away after a three-and-out on four of their five possessions to begin the game.

When Steelers defensive lineman Keeanu Benton intercepted Browns quarterback Jameis Winston early in the second quarter, the offense finally came to life. Pittsburgh strung together four scoring drives to take a 27-7 lead, then coasted through the fourth quarter to seal the victory.

The Steelers final score of the game came late in the third quarter, when tight end Pat Freiermuth reeled in a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Russell Wilson. In the excitement of the moment, Freiermuth punted the ball deep into the stands.

There's some truth in Pat Freiermuth's joke about George Pickens

During his postgame press conference, Freiermuth was asked about the celebration, which will likely result in a fine. Throwing a football into the stands during a celebration is deemed a sportsmanship issue and comes with a minimum fine of $7,878 for first-time offenders, according to NFL Operations.

"Someone had to get fined," Freiermuth jokingly told reporters.

.The lighthearted jab was clearly directed at Pickens. While it was all in good fun, there has been concern about Pickens' antics, which have proven to be costly both on and off the field. Pittsburgh's passing game relies heavily on Pickens, but the talented wide receiver hasn’t made it easy. Despite his talent, Pickens seems to be highly combustible, and his unpredictable behavior has proven to become a liability for the team.

Pickens' actions resulted in costly penalties for the Steelers during their 44-38 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13. In the third quarter, Pickens drew a 15-yard penalty for mimicking a gun during a celebration, which ultimately halted the Steelers’ drive and resulted in a blocked field goal attempt. He also received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for taunting the Bengals after a 21-yard play. Pickens was fined $20,462 for the two unsportsmanlike conduct violations.

It's clear that the offense isn't the same without Pickens. The team has few other viable options at the wide receiver position, and it's hard to imagine they would find much success without Pickens when facing teams that are far better than the Browns. Still, his behavior needs to be managed. While the jokes are funny now, they won't be as humorous if Pickens' antics cost the Steelers a victory in the playoffs.