Unfortunately, it’s now too late to eject him from the game.

Pittsburgh Steelers receiver George Pickens was flagged twice for unsportsmanlike penalties against the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday.

Somehow, he wasn’t ejected because the second one supposedly wasn’t the type that results in a disqualification.

But today, the NFL grouped the penalties together without distinction, as Pickens was fined $20,462 for his misbehavior during the game.

The NFL fined #Steelers WR George Pickens $20,462 for two unsportsmanlike conduct violations — including his finger gun towards the stands after a 46-yard catch last week. pic.twitter.com/rINarLrG9m

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 7, 2024

The finger gun to the crowd was pretty serious by NFL standards, so it’s a bit of a surprise that the refs decided to create a loophole to keep him in the game.

It’s little consolation to Bengals fans to now see Pickens lose less than 2% of his year’s salary now that the game (and perhaps season) are over.

But at least we got some good jokes out of it.

John Wilkes Booth to Abraham Lincoln:

“First down” https://t.co/n6VlP3Bdvs

— Mike Nicastro (@MikedUpSports1) December 2, 2024

Up next, the Bengals face the Dallas Cowboys on the road on Monday Night Football. We preview that game in the video below.