George Pickens' antics have reportedly rubbed his Pittsburgh Steelers teammates the wrong way.
In so many ways, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2024 season was similar to the years that preceded it – a rudderless offense falling short before the team could escape mediocrity. But the Steelers’ latest campaign was defined by two storylines: the turn to quarterback Russell Wilson and away from Justin Fields, and the weekly antics of receiver George Pickens.
For better or worse, Pittsburgh won’t be dealing with Wilson or Fields in 2025 (although they’ll be facing off against the latter in Week 1). The Steelers lost both to free agency in March; in May, they made the decision to jettison Pickens, too.
The receiver was dealt to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 Day 3 pick swap, setting back the offense in a play to find the next franchise quarterback. Pittsburgh making that trade helped ensure its place in the middle of the conference. In the weeks since, it seems that an offseason Pickens departure was rather inevitable.
Steelers fans are saying the same thing about the latest Pickens rumor, that it wasn’t just the coaching staff that had grown tired of his behavior, but his teammates, too.
"There's a lot of guys in that defense—even the offense," Mark Kaboly said on 93.7 the Fan. "There were probably a couple guys that you would be shocked at, that I did hear after the fact. They were pretty much saying, 'See ya.' They didn't want anything to do with him."
The receiver was never far from controversy throughout his Pittsburgh tenure. He had grown frustrated with his targets at different times and had a tendency to take himself out of games that saw him start slowly. His proclivity for unnecessary roughness penalties made him a target for opposing defensive backs, aiming to get in his head early and incite a flagrant foul.
Few will doubt Pickens’ talent, but his tendency to become a detriment defined his time with the Steelers. After trading for Seattle Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf, the writing was on the wall. And without an extension, moving him and recouping strong value became a priority.
We can’t say for sure which Steelers (if any) vouched for his return or rooted for his departure. It’s clear, however, that Pickens’ behavior wasn’t just a burden to his coaches and a storyline for fans.
