NFL fans focus on refs ‘rigging’ Steelers’ loss to Patriots as George Pickens quits

Steelers were down 21-3 with just over three minutes to play before halftime

the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) kept the New England Patriots (3-10) scoreless in the second half of Thursday Night Football at Acrisure Stadium, but fell short of completing the comeback as George Pickens seemingly quit on his team. NFL fans still claimed the game was rigged due to poor officiating.

Pickens, 22, was exposed for his lack of effort on a couple of plays. His frustration over not receiving the ball often came out by him simply not trying to even run the proper route.

Steelers were down 21-3 with just over three minutes to play before halftime when Pickens mailed it in on a play.

The score at the break was 21-10 in favor of New England. Pickens finished the 21-18 loss with just 19 receiving yards on five catches.

Pickens is not the first Steelers player to be exposed for lack of effort this season. Wide receiver Diontae Johnson did the same exact thing a few weeks prior.

Is the NFL rigged?

There are plenty of reasons for the Steelers dropping a game to a supbar team, starting with the fact that starting quarterback is out with a high ankle sprain and QB2 Mitch Trubisky struggled.

The referees, however, received all the spotlight from the fans because of a questionable false start called on the long snapper with about five minutes left to play in the fourth quarter.

Clay Martin and his crew of officials are not the first referees to make or miss a late-game call that stirred up fans.

The Kansas City Chiefs were on both ends of bad calls on Sunday during a Week 13 loss to the Green Bay Packers in front of Taylor Swift at Leambeau Field.