Mike Tomlin Reveals One Reason Steelers Traded George Pickens

Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin opened up on what went into the team's decision to trade George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys last offseason.

During an appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show", Tomlin stated that just because the Steelers didn't opt to sign Pickens to a second contract doesn't mean that he was never going to go on and continue to be a productive player.

"If they're developing in the right ways, if they fit your long-range plans, then you do second business with them. It didn't happen for us with George, but it doesn't necessarily mean he's not going to be a spectacular player," Tomlin said.

Furthermore, Tomlin stated that the "leadership responsibilities" that inherently come with signing a big-money deal wasn't exactly in Pickens' "natural wheelhouse", which is partially why they felt comfortable moving on from him after acquiring DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks and signing him to a four-year, $132 million extension.

"For us, I just thought it's not only play. It's development in other areas, intangible areas. I think when you're a high-dollar, second-contract guy, I think there's some leadership responsibilities, and things of that nature. And I just don't feel like that was in his natural wheelhouse. We felt better about DK's abilities in those areas."

Jan 11, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) makes a catch against the Baltimore Ravens in the third quarter in an AFC wild card game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Did Steelers Get It Wrong?

As Tomlin alluded to, there were some off-field reservations the Steelers had about Pickens, who will play under the franchise tag this season, that likely stood in the way of the sides remaining together long-term.

The 25-year-old racked up a hefty amount of fines throughout his three years with the team. Furthermore, during his last season with Pittsburgh in 2024, Pickens yanked Dallas Cowboys defensive back Jourdan Lewis by his face mask after the final play of the game in Week 5 before getting into a fight with Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II in the aftermath of a Hail Mary that fell incomplete for the Steelers on the last play of their matchup in Week 13.

There were a number of other incidents that occurred, and ultimately the Steelers decided Pickens needed a change of scenery.

Metcalf took Pickens' place as Pittsburgh's No. 1 wide receiver in 2025, though the latter far outproduced the former with 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns as opposed to 850 yards and six scores.

While it's easy to say the Steelers should've just kept Pickens around, there's no telling whether or not he would've ever reached the same heights that he did during his first year in Dallas with Pittsburgh.

A parting of ways felt like it was due, and while having a player of Pickens' caliber would certainly up Pittsburgh's odds of competing down the line, there's also some hindsight bias at play.

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