George Pickens Tells All About Messy Breakup With Steelers: "I Let My Emotions Get The Best Of Me"

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a controversial decision during the 2025 offseason to part ways with wide receiver George Pickens. Many fans loved him, and some were happy to see him go. He was a polarizing figure due to some of his actions on the field and on the sideline. He spent three seasons with the Steelers, but Pittsburgh made the decision to trade him to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This was arguably the right move for the Steelers, no matter how well Pickens plays in Dallas.

Pickens was traded right after the Steelers acquired DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks, so the production from those two is going to be compared by Pittsburgh fans for the foreseeable future. Currently, Pickens is blowing Metcalf out of the water while operating in a pass heavy offense. Pickens is second in the NFL in receiving yards, and he also has already eclipsed his season high in touchdown receptions. 

Pickens recently wrote an article for The Players Tribune, and he touched on his time in Pittsburgh and his departure.

"I was still a kid," Pickens wrote. "I made some mistakes. I’ll own that. I let my emotions get the best of me a few times, because I’m always riding that line. That’s just who I am. I’ve tried to learn from it and grow while still being ME. Now the media in Pittsburgh? I admit, I was trolling y’all a little bit. I apologize! But I don’t have a bad word to say about Pittsburgh. I can call up Coach [Tomlin] right now and we’d have a real conversation. What I respect about him most is he always told me, 'Just keep being you, George.' It just wasn’t the long-term fit for where my journey was headed, and that’s ok."

The young wide receiver does not seem to hold any grudges towards Pittsburgh for the way things ended, or the way things went during his time with the organization. He still has a ton of respect for Head Coach Mike Tomlin, who was often criticized for allowing Pickens to get away with too much. Pickens also seemed to own up to the way he acted, which was often immature.

Tomlin has always been praised for his ability to be a players' coach, and Pickens' comments further that notion. The two had a good relationship, but it was easy to see that Pickens was not in Pittsburgh's long-term plans. The organization made the right decision and traded him before his rookie contract was up, that way the franchise was able to get decent draft capital before losing him in free agency for next to nothing. 

Pickens wrote more about the trade, and how he is thankful for how everything happened.

"They did right by me," Pickens wrote. "They sent me to the perfect spot in Dallas. What more do you want me to say? There’s no drama, bro. No headlines to write. They’re doing things their way up there, and I’m down here in Dallas with CeeDee [Lamb] and Dak [Prescott] doing what I do best. Everybody wins."

It was easy to tell that Pickens would thrive in Dallas. Dak Prescott is the best quarterback he has had so far in his NFL career, and this is the first time he is playing alongside a truly elite wide receiver in CeeDee Lamb. Pickens has been one of the best receivers in the league, and he is in line for a big pay day during the 2026 offseason.

Steelers Likely Would Have Never Made George Pickens Succeed The Way He Is In Dallas

Pickens would likely not have been set up for the same levels of success in Pittsburgh during the 2025 season. The Steelers do not operate a pass heavy offense in the way that the Cowboys do, and very rarely does Pittsburgh seem to actually scheme their receivers open and put them in situations to make big plays. Pickens is one of the most talented receivers in the NFL, and now he finally gets to showcase that with an organization that suits him.

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

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