The Pittsburgh Steelers' wide receiver, George Pickens, returned to practice on Thursday after missing a full session due to a shin injury. Although he participated in practice, Pickens was limited in his capacity. As of now, there is no indication that Pickens will miss Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. This is significant as Pickens has not missed a single game in his two-year NFL career.
While the injury was not mentioned by Pickens or coach Mike Tomlin after last Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns, Pickens' return to practice suggests that the injury is not severe enough to keep him out of upcoming games. However, it remains to be seen how much playing time he will receive and if his injury will impact his performance on the field.
In addition to Pickens, several other players also participated in limited practice, including defensive linemen Cameron Heyward and Montravius Adams, cornerback James Pierre, and rookie outside linebacker Nick Herbig. These players are recovering from various injuries but are expected to be available for Sunday's game.
As for the Bengals, wide receiver Tee Higgins and cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt have been ruled out due to hamstring and quad injuries, respectively. Meanwhile, the Steelers will be without Minkah Fitzpatrick, who continues to be sidelined with a hamstring injury.
University of Iowa punter Tory Taylor has been named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for the third time this season. Taylor's dominant performance in the Iowa Hawkeyes' win over Illinois earned him the recognition. In the game, Taylor punted eight times for an average of 51.6 yards per punt, with six punts going for 50+ yards. He also landed two punts inside the 20-yard line. This performance not only solidified Taylor as a top punter in the Big Ten but also broke Iowa's school record for career punts, with a total of 274 in his career.
Taylor, a senior from Melbourne, Australia, will be departing for the NFL after this season. Throughout his career at Iowa, he has consistently been a game-changer for the Hawkeyes, frequently flipping field position and setting up their defense in favorable positions. This season alone, Taylor has averaged 48.2 yards per punt on 72 attempts. He has landed 27 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line and has a long punt of 62 yards.
Not only is Taylor a prime candidate for the Ray Guy award, given to the best punter in the nation, but he has also been a critical factor in Iowa's success on the field. His powerful punting has helped contribute to the team's victories, and his performances have been instrumental in winning games.
Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf has been known for his trash talking on the field, but he has found a way to continue his taunting without drawing penalties. Metcalf revealed that he has been learning American Sign Language (ASL) in order to communicate with opponents without using his voice. He explained that he started taking ASL classes on his off days to avoid getting flagged for mouthing off. During a recent game against the Los Angeles Rams, Metcalf put his newfound skills to use after scoring a touchdown against cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon. He signed Witherspoon's jersey number and the phrase "my son" to taunt him. Although the Seahawks lost the game, Metcalf did not receive an unsportsmanlike penalty for his actions. This is not the first time the Seahawks have engaged in creative trash talking. Safety Jerrick Reed previously trolled an opponent by wearing a ski mask. Seahawks fans will now be eagerly awaiting to see if Metcalf continues his ASL trash talking when they face the San Francisco 49ers on Thanksgiving Day.
