Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd fielded an onside kick that ended a Week 11 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, securing his team a win.
And then he suffered a headshot at the hands of Steelers wideout George Pickens.
With all but a few seconds left in the game, practically speaking, it appeared everyone had actually witnessed a Bengals-Steelers game without any serious drama.
Pickens ended that and got himself ejected in the process.
Boyd, for what it’s worth, was just fine in the aftermath as the team went to the locker room and was even still holding the ball. Pickens, on the other hand, will — at a minimum — receive a fine for his actions that again add another layer of drama to an already-vicious rivalry.
The hit and reactions below.
The hit:
#Steelers WR George Pickens was ejected for this hit on Tyler Boyd after he recovered an onside kick: pic.twitter.com/OfGVDgl6of
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 21, 2022
Reactions:
George Pickens with a cheap headshot to Tyler Boyd.
He is a Steeler thru and thru.
— Andrew Russell (@Andrew_Russell7) November 21, 2022
George Pickens made a nice Auden Tate-like catch in tight coverage, dropped an easy touchdown, then took an unnecessary shot and got ejected. Having a very cool and normal time out there.
— Jake Liscow (@JakeLiscow) November 21, 2022
And George Pickens throwing a punch, after diving at Boyd's head to draw a penalty, because, of course.
— Andre Perrotta (@andreperrotta13) November 21, 2022
George Pickens has been thrown out of the game!
— Blake Jewell (@BlakeJewellNFL) November 21, 2022
Dirty play by George Pickens there that's going to cost him some $$$$
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) November 21, 2022
From Hines Ward to Antonio Brown to George Pickens: a retrospective. Coming soon.
— Vance Meek (@vancemeek) November 21, 2022
George Pickens adapting to the Steelers culture quite well I see.
— Barstool Cincinnati (@UCBarstool) November 21, 2022
George Pickens ejected. Believe he threw a punch well after the late hit on Tyler Boyd.
— Josh Carney (@ByJoshCarney) November 21, 2022
The officials have ejected George Pickens for his late hit on Tyler Boyd.
Pickens is incredibly talented, but moments like that help explain how he fell to the middle of the second round.
— Jason B. Hirschhorn (@by_JBH) November 21, 2022
George Pickens has been ejected. Made a late hit that wasn't great on Tyler Boyd.
— Andrew Gillis (@Andrew_Gillis70) November 21, 2022
George Pickens with the patented Steelers helmet shot on Tyler Boyd after the onside kick. Keep it classy, Tomlin.
— JoeSports (@JoeKnowsSports) November 21, 2022
