Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens missed the first game of his NFL career on Sunday, when a late-week hamstring injury kept him out of the team’s Week 14 win over the Cleveland Browns, in a moment caught by the cameras for HBO’s Hard Knocks.

Pickens had played the first 46 games to start his career until missing Sunday’s. After injuring his hamstring after practice on Thursday, Pickens largely sat out of Friday’s practice, but was still expected to play on Sunday.

But when he showed up for an on-field workout at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday before the game, he had not progressed as hoped. An MRI later revealed a Grade 2 strain, and Pickens could miss multiple games.

The cameras for HBO’s Hard Knocks show caught Pickens lamenting his injury status on the Pittsburgh sideline.

“I wanna play so bad, boy,” Pickens said to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

Tomlin tried to share some advice for his young star.

“It’s that football life,” Tomlin said. “Just football life.”

Pickens is also expected to miss this week’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, at least, as he deals with the hamstring strain ahead of the most difficult and congested portion of the Steelers’ schedule.

Hard Knocks, featuring the entire AFC North this year, will air every Tuesday during the final six weeks of the 2024 season.