The Pittsburgh Steelers shocked many recently when they decided to trade away star wide receiver, George Pickens. The exciting, young standout from Georgia always made plays on the field, but his behavior and sideline antics were seen as a distraction. The team gave him three years to mature, but the franchise clearly was not happy with his progress, as the same issues were present in 2024. The team traded for DK Metcalf earlier in the offseason, which kind of made Pickens expendable. The Dallas Cowboys were interested for a while and tried to trade for the young playmaker ahead of, and during the draft, but had to wait until after to get a deal done.
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Steelers' George Pickens appears angry on the sideline.
Pittsburgh received a third-round pick in 2026, as well as a late-round pick swap in 2027 in exchange for Pickens, which was considered a pretty good deal for the Steelers considering all of the issues Pickens had. There were plenty of reports that he was constantly late for team events, including games, and he would often throw fits if the ball wasn't coming his way. His frustration and lack of focus was kind of understandable, as quarterback play in Pittsburgh has been below average since his arrival, and the offense seems to be incompetent at times.
Since Pickens arrived in Dallas, more details have been emerging about his time with the Steelers. Most people knew about his tardiness, while team insider Mark Kaboly stated in a mailbag on Thursday morning that Pickens would also ignore his teammates.
"There has already been some stuff leaking out, like Pickens refusing to return calls/texts from his teammates," Kaboly wrote. "But I wouldn’t anticipate much more to be said moving forward other than the stuff we already know, like being late for team flights and buses and showing up late to the Chiefs game."
According to Kaboly, Pickens failed to contact his teammates or return calls and texts. This was before the trade that Pickens had these habits, which is not a sign of being a good teammate. It is unclear why the wide receiver would act like that, aside from his frustration with the organization that likely revolved around the quarterback situation and the offense as a whole.
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Former Steelers WR George Pickens practices before a Week 14 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
The Pickens trade now feels like it was inevitable. He is entering the final season of his rookie contract, and the Steelers were not going to attempt to give him an extension. He has been a problem for the team in too many games. If he wanted to stay in Pittsburgh long-term, the team would have had to see how he was during the 2025 season before offering him a deal after the season ended. This certainly played into the decision to trade Pickens, and it guaranteed Pittsburgh would get some compensation for him, rather than relying on him signing a decent deal in free agency and the Steelers being awarded compensatory picks in the future.
Steelers' Former Receiver Is Set Up To Have The Best Season Of His Career
The trade was probably the right move for the Steelers, but it is going to be difficult for some fans once Pickens has likely success in Dallas. There is a good chance he will have the best season of his career. He is finally playing with one of the better quarterbacks in the league in Dak Prescott, and he will be lining up opposite CeeDee Lamb. Lamb and Pickens will take attention off of one another, and Prescott can deliver either player the ball on a consistent basis.
Corey Wernecke / Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens during Organized Team Activities in 2025.
Pickens' best season so far was in 2023 when he recorded 1,140 receiving yards and five touchdowns, and he will probably put up numbers close to that with the Cowboys. It will be nice to see Pickens making big plays, but a large part of the fan base is going to be upset that it isn't in Pittsburgh.
What do you think about the report from Kaboly? Let us know in the comments below!
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