DENVER — Two Browns players and two Pittsburgh Steelers players were fined by the league for violations during Cleveland’s Week 12 Thursday night win. None of them were named either George Pickens or Greg Newsome II.
The NFL has apparently elected to not punish either player involved in the postgame scuffle after the Browns’ 24-19 win in Cleveland. The incident started during Pittsburgh’s last-ditch Hail Mary attempt and continued for several minutes after, spilling into an area right in front of the stands behind the west end zone.
However, as the play was ending, Pickens was engaged with Newsome. The Pittsburgh wide receiver could be seen grabbing the Cleveland cornerback’s helmet as they carried out of the back of the end zone.
Pickens, as they neared the wall in front of the seats behind the goal post, took Newsome down to the ground. At that point, multiple security guards and police intervened to separate the two.
“Yeah, he’s a fake tough guy,” Newsome said after the game of Pickens. “He does a lot of that, the antics and stuff. Yeah, he didn’t even go up for the ball. He was just trying to do WrestleMania with me the whole time. So that’s what happened at the end.”
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has declined multiple times to discuss the incident. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told Pittsburgh reporters Tuesday Pickens was supposed to be the “point man” on the Hail Mary, the one who high-points the football, but wasn’t because, “I think their (the Browns) actions had something to do with him not being in position to do that.”
The Browns and Steelers will meet again on Dec. 8 in Pittsburgh.
Grant Delpit, Jordan Hicks fined for penalties in Browns’ win over Steelers
As for the Browns players who were fined, safety Grant Delpit picked up a $11,255 fine for taking the mouthpiece out of Pickens’ mouth after a play, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The next play, the Steelers scored on a Jaylen Warren 3-yard touchdown run to pull within 18-13 with 7:57 remaining.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks was also fined $10,378 for landing with his full body weight on Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson with 10:10 remaining in the game. Hicks was flagged in the moment for roughing the passer.
Steelers cornerback Donte Jackson was fined $22,5111 for using his helmet to tackle wide receiver Jerry Jeudy on a 26-yard reception with 5:28 remaining in the game. Damontae Kazee was fined $11,255 for his late hit out of bounds on a Browns first-quarter punt as he was engaged with Cleveland’s Mike Ford Jr.
Kazee was flagged in the moment for the penalty.
Geoff Swaim placed on injured reserve, Blake Whiteheart added to Browns roster
The Browns announced Saturday they had placed tight end Geoff Swaim on injured reserve with a concussion. THey also signed tight end Blake Whiteheart from the practice squad to the active roster.
Whiteheart is officially in his second NFL season. Originally signed out of Wake Forest as an undrafted free agent by the Arizona Cardinals last year, Whiteheart has appeared in seven career games, including five games with the Browns this season.
Whiteheart has recorded four receptions for 42 yards and one touchdown.
Swaim appeared in eight games with two starts this season for the Browns. He would eligible to potentially return after the Browns’ Week 16 game at the Cincinnati Bengals.