Steelers' Mike Tomlin Reportedly First In Favor Of Dealing George Pickens To Dallas

The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to have one of the strangest and most eventful offseasons in recent memory. They started the 2025 offseason by letting both of their 2024 starting quarterbacks walk in free agency, but then proceeded to trade for star wide receiver DK Metcalf. Initially, despite the uncertainty at the quarterback position, the fan base was electrified to have Metcalf and George Pickens paired together for 2025. However, on Wednesday morning, the Steelers made a shocking move by dealing Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys. 

In his first three years in the NFL and being a member of the Steelers, Pickens drew lots of attention to himself with some of his antics. Whether it was poor interviews with locker room reporters, making inappropriate gestures during a game, or expressing severe anger on the field, Pickens quickly turned into another "diva" wide receiver that the Steelers just can't seem to get away from. Nonetheless, one of his biggest supporters was Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh's head coach who seemed to continually defend Pickens at all costs during his time with the Black and Gold. 

Tomlin and Steelers General Manager Omar Khan, whenever given the chance to speak, stated on multiple occasions this offseason that they had no interest in trading away Pickens. While the Steelers, along with most NFL organizations, will go ahead and do things the opposite of what they said, this trade was a shock for many, considering the time in which it happened.

Despite Tomlin having his back against every reporter who had something negative to say about Pickens, it's now being reported that Tomlin, not Khan or Art Rooney II, was first in line for sending Pickens away. Steelers insider Mark Kaboly appeared on Pittsburgh's 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday following the big trade between Pittsburgh and Dallas. 

"What's surprising to me is, from everything that I've heard, Mike Tomlin was the one that was in front of this all," Kaboly started as he began to expose Tomlin and the Steelers. "It wasn't Art. It wasn't Omar. It was Mike, and then the organizational decision of - it's time to move on."

Along with Kaboly, Steelers insider Gerry Dulac also confirmed on Wednesday in a chat with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Tomlin and Khan were in favor of trading Pickens to the Cowboys. Both Kaboly and Dulac are viewed as some of the very best reporters in Pittsburgh that cover the Steelers. 

It may come as a big surprise to many that Tomlin was the head honcho of this trade. The timing of the transaction is also a head-scratcher, considering they elected to not draft a receiver at the end of April. In return for Pickens and his talents, Pittsburgh will receive a 2026 third-round selection, in addition to swapping late-round draft picks for 2027. 

Steelers' Mike Tomlin Has Seen Enough From Previous Wide Receivers To Understand The Fate Of George Pickens

While Pickens, who Tomlin and the Steelers drafted in the second round in 2022, has the best skill set that they have had in a receiver in many years, Pittsburgh's head coach reportedly decided to move on anyway. The Steelers have consistently found themselves in this specific circumstance, where they have a receiver with arguably generational talent, but can't seem to figure it out mentally. 

Without Pickens, the Steelers are left with a receiving group that has Metcalf leading the way, but a ton of uncertainty behind him, which is the position Pickens was faced with in 2024. 

Are you at all shocked or surprised that it turns out Tomlin was the one pushing the trade the most? What are your thoughts on the current state of the Steelers' receiving core? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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