PITTSBURGH – Steelers leading receiver George Pickens will not play against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

The third-year player, who has 850 yards and three touchdown catches this season, is inactive after appearing on the Steelers’ practice report Friday with a hamstring injury. He had been listed as questionable for the rematch with the Browns.

Sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Saturday night that they were optimistic Pickens could play.

Before Sunday, Pickens had not missed a game since being selected by the Steelers in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. While Pickens will be out, wide receiver Calvin Austin III is active after exiting the concussion protocol earlier this week.

Pickens made headlines in the Week 12 loss to the Browns when he got into an altercation with cornerback Greg Newsome II during a game-ending Hail Mary attempt. This week, Pickens said he didn’t know who Newsome was when asked Sunday if he would speak to the defensive back.

The volatile wide receiver was also fined more than $20,000 for two unsportsmanlike penalties assessed against him in last Sunday’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The flags against Pickens prompted Tomlin to tell his wide receiver to “grow up.”