George Pickens did not deny tales about his immaturity after the Pittsburgh Steelers traded him to the Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys confirmed Wednesday that they acquired Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick from Pittsburgh in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder.
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Pickens’ departure from Pittsburgh was paraded by displays of immaturity, which root back to his collegiate days in Georgia. His brash behavior led to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin publicly calling him out this past season.
Speaking on Thursday after the trade, Pickens acknowledged his former coach telling him to “grow up” and insisted that moving to Dallas will help him turn over a new leaf.
“Just taking one day at a time,” the wide receiver said. “I feel like everybody in the world is working on growing, on their bettering of their self. I feel like growth for me is taking a great direction in me coming to the Cowboys.”
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Pickens, who the Steelers drafted with the 52nd pick in 2022, made 63 catches for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns in a career-best season in 2023.
After tallying 59 receptions for 900 yards and three touchdowns last season, Tomlin reportedly led the push to get Pickens out of Steel City. During the 2025 NFL Draft, word of Pickens’ availability spread among teams. However, teams polled by The Athletic reportedly laughed at the thought of welcoming Pickens’ attitude into their rosters.
His “bad boy” attitude was shown in different ways over his three years in Pittsburgh, including unsportsmanlike displays, not supporting his teammates and questionable social media behavior.
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Among several incidents, Pickens infamously incurred penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct, including fines totaling $20,462 in 2024.
Pickens joins the Cowboys after a 7-10 season as they look to give CeeDee Lamb some help on the receiving end.
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