The Pittsburgh Steelers made a move that a large portion of the fan base saw coming, as the organization traded away wide receiver George Pickens. The deal was made with the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh also sent a sixth-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft to Dallas in exchange for a third-round pick in 2026 and a fifth-round selection in 2027. The move made sense for a lot of reasons, one being the lack of maturity Pickens has shown since entering the NFL, and the lack of growth. The other being the fact that the receiver was going into the final year of his rookie deal.
Justin K. Aller / Getty Images
Former Steelers wide receiver George Pickens makes a big time catch against the Baltimore Ravens.
The franchise clearly had no intention of extending Pickens past the 2025 season, which is why it made sense to deal Pickens. Had the organization held on to him and he left in free agency during the 2026 offseason, the franchise might have received some compensatory draft picks.
This way, the pick compensation is guaranteed, and Pittsburgh knows exactly what it has coming up in the 2026 NFL Draft. Pickens recently shared his thoughts on Pittsburgh during a comment on Instagram which has since been deleted.
Yeah.. we are done here. Good riddance buddy 🫡 pic.twitter.com/0yvCvdYYBR
— Jessie Marie ❤️❤️ (@Joycestacy13) May 11, 2025
This comment was left under a clip of Payton Wilson and Beanie Bishop Jr. talking on Bishop's show Beanie's Bakery. The two spoke about their rookie seasons in 2024, but they also touched on the NFL as a business. Wilson and Bishop were both stunned by the Pickens trade, but Wilson explained how the organization is trying to stack good years while planning for the future, which is what Pickens was responding to with his comment.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin high fives former receiver George Pickens after a huge play against the Commanders in Week 10 of the 2024 regular season.
Pickens isn't exactly wrong. The Steelers pay their players when it is worth it, but there is definitely a stigma around the organization for it being a bit frugal. This can be seen with the outdated facilities and lack of certain equipment, which is always exploited by the anonymous player polls that come out every offseason. Pickens just simply did not do enough to warrant a contract extension, which is why he was traded.
Pittsburgh does pay players when it is worth it. Pickens just simply wasn't. He has made spectacular plays on the field but he is constantly a distraction to the team. If he isn't getting pointless 15-yard penalties on the field he is making some crude comment to the media after the game.
There were also reports of him being late to nearly every team activity, and that is just not something a franchise can have. The top receivers in the NFL are being paid around $30 million a season, and Pittsburgh couldn't justify that due to Pickens' behavior.
Associated Press
Former Steelers wide receiver George Pickens talks with Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase after a game.
Steelers Now Watching George Pickens Go To Their Polar Opposite
Pickens will now be a Cowboy, where there is no fear when it comes to spending money. The organization has state of the art facilities and services, and it also doesn't hesitate to pay its players. Dallas has already extended CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott, which has made it hard to get a contract done with edge rusher Micah Parsons. Pickens' team has already stated that he will be playing out his rookie deal without an extension, which makes it hard to believe that he will be in Dallas in 2026.
No matter how willing an organization is to spend money, there is going to be financial issues. Pickens is going to be the odd man out for the second season in a row, this time with a different organization. There is a common denominator there that should be considered the problem rather than the organization's he plays for.
What do you think about Pickens' comment? Let us know in the comments below!
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