The Pittsburgh Steelers made headlines Wednesday when the team traded George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys. Given that Pickens was in the last year of his rookie contract, it had been speculated that the Steelers would be looking to trade him. Once the trade was finalized, it left one question: why did the Steelers feel that trading Pickens was a superior option to extending him? Pickens' behavioral issues very well may have been the deciding factor in the receiver being shipped. Despite Pickens' immense skill, all of the drama he caused on and off the field likely became a distraction for the rest of his team. When asked about the trade, Head Coach Mike Tomlin had a blunt response.
On Saturday, Tomlin said that he felt the Pickens trade made sense, but didn't elaborate on anything General Manager Omar Khan had said on Friday regarding the roster move. Instead of focusing on what was in the past, Tomlin highlighted the Steelers' rookies and the opportunities that they presented for the team.
"I'm not going to add any color to it other than what Omar told you guys yesterday," said Tomlin. "We thought it was best and timely for all parties involved. Really, I'm just focused on the opportunity that is this weekend for the rookies."
On Friday, Khan went into detail about the Steelers' planning behind trading Pickens. Khan said that despite Pickens and the Steelers having a good relationship for a few years, a fresh start was ultimately best for both parties. He also acknowledged that the Steelers have had bad luck recently with wide receivers, such as Pickens. Khan says that the trend of poorly behaved wide receivers has been a pure coincidence, and that the Steelers are always looking to get good players regardless of what position they played at.
Pickens' skill as a player is undeniable, and any issues in his game aren't likely to be the reason for being traded. Given Pickens' tendency to lose his temper, it's more likely that the receiver's personality and off-the-field behavior influenced the trade.
There are reports that many within the Steelers organization were annoyed by his behavior. To have a winning team, you need a winning culture. Pickens failed to mature as a player and learn from his mistakes over the course of his time in the Steel City. It was also the case that many of Pickens' teammates were being asked questions about his behavior, and that the receiver never made himself available to answer for his actions or explain himself. At a certain point, the Steelers may have decided it simply wasn't worth putting up with Pickens' behavior.
Another factor that may hurt Pickens' stock as a player is that many NFL teams dismissed the idea of trading for Pickens, despite the receiver potentially coming at a low cost. The NFL teams anonymously polled by The Athletic said that they wouldn't want Pickens in their locker room for any price.
Steelers' Wide Receiver Room Will Look Very Different In The Upcoming Season
At the beginning of the offseason, the Steelers made a bombshell trade landing a star receiver, DK Metcalf. While many were excited to see Metcalf and Pickens working side by side, it's likely that the Steelers never intended to extend Pickens, and that Metcalf was always meant to be his replacement. Pickens was the Steelers' leading receiver in the 2024 season. With his departure from Pittsburgh, Metcalf is sure to be the top target on offense.
The Steelers will also rely on Roman Wilson to step up next season. Wilson suffered two grueling injuries that held him back in the 2024 season. Now that he is fully recovered, Wilson reportedly looks like an entirely new player.
