Former Steelers Defender Makes Revealing Statement About George Pickens After Big Game For Cowboys

The Pittsburgh Steelers were constantly in the headlines throughout the 2025 offseason as the front office made a ton of changes with the roster. General Manager Omar Khan was aggressive while also parting ways with players that were a big part of the team. This included guys such as Minkah Fitzpatrick and George Pickens, who were each traded away for players and additional draft capital. The Pickens trade was heavily criticized for some fans as he has been playing well for the Dallas Cowboys, but it was certainly the right move for Pittsburgh in the long run.

Some might argue that Pittsburgh could use another receiver in addition to DK Metcalf, but the offense barely ever lines up with more than two wide outs on the field at once. It is highly unlikely the coaching staff would have found creative ways to get both Metcalf and Pickens involved in the offense, which would have only created issues. Former Pittsburgh defensive back Patrick Peterson was recently on Up & Adams with Kay Adams, and he was asked if Pittsburgh would miss Pickens.

"No," Peterson quickly said. "They got a guy in DK. He can do just as much and more than George. You can move him around in the offensive scheme a little more. When George was there, he was primarily just the X receiver. You can game plan a little bit more with DK Metcalf versus George Pickens."

Peterson was on the same roster as Pickens with the Steelers back during the 2023 season, so it is interesting to see him dismiss Pickens as quickly as he did. Pickens has seemed to mature a little bit more since his time with the Steelers, so Peterson might just remember him as a younger wide receiver that caused some issues while making a big play here and there.

Pickens had one of the better games of his career on Sunday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers, which is a big reason as to why Adams posed this question to Peterson. Pickens caught eight passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns in the game, and he is a big reason Dallas was able to keep it close and force a tie with Green Bay. Adams asked Peterson about why Pittsburgh would not have welcomed both Metcalf and Pickens on the roster for the 2025 season.

"There was no way they were going to have both of those two guys," Peterson said while laughing. "No way."

Peterson seems to be stating that the Steelers had no interest in keeping both of those big personalities in the wide receiver room, which certainly makes sense. However there were other factors at play as well. Pickens was entering the final year of his rookie deal, and the Steelers were able to get draft compensation for him by trading him rather than letting him walk after the 2025 season came to an end.

Steelers Dealing George Pickens Worked Out Well For Both Sides

Some fans in Pittsburgh are still not happy about the team parting ways with Pickens, but it is becoming abundantly clear that it was never going to work out for the wide receiver with the Steelers. Now he is with an offense in Dallas with an established quarterback, and the team likes to lean on the passing game. Through four games, Pickens has caught 21 passes for 300 yards and four touchdowns, which is by far his best start to a season. 

Pittsburgh now has a more mature wide receiver in Metcalf and an additional third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, while Pickens gets to thrive with the Cowboys in a contract year. Dealing Pickens was a win-win.

What do you think about Peterson's comments? Let us know in the comments below!

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