George Pickens’ turbulent tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers featured spectacular performs alongside controversial moments that generated fixed headlines.
All through this era, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin persistently defended his proficient however risky receiver.
That relationship has now concluded with the Steelers buying and selling the 24-year-old wideout to the Dallas Cowboys for draft picks.
Whereas each organizations explored commerce prospects throughout the 2025 NFL Draft with out reaching an settlement, latest reporting reveals why the separation in the end occurred.
In line with New York Occasions reporter Mike DeFabo, the state of affairs behind closed doorways had deteriorated considerably, with Tomlin’s famend persistence lastly reaching its restrict.
“However after deflecting typically — and at different occasions, maybe stretching the reality on Pickens’ behalf — even Tomlin’s persistence gave the impression to be working skinny by the tip of the 2024 season. It reached an inflection level in Week 13 in Cincinnati. Pickens was flagged twice for unsportsmanlike conduct — one for making a gun gesture and one other for dropping a ball on a Bengals defender. For one of many first occasions publicly, Tomlin reprimanded his star receiver,” DeFabo wrote.
For a company targeted on correct cultural rebuilding, these considerations proved substantial. Such habits doubtlessly undermines staff chemistry and growth efforts.
Final season introduced quite a few warning indicators about Pickens’ maturity. Throughout a recreation towards the Dallas Cowboys, he wore eye black bearing the message “Open F—ing At all times” which Tomlin claimed to not discover.
In that very same contest, Pickens noticed restricted motion with simply 34 snaps and 20 routes run. When questioned, Tomlin dismissed disciplinary motives, describing it as “snap administration.”
Following a tough loss to Cleveland, Pickens engaged in a bodily confrontation with Greg Newsome, which Tomlin once more claimed to not witness.
The state of affairs escalated throughout the season finale when Pickens clashed with followers, requiring teammate Pat Freiermuth to bodily restrain him.
After almost three full seasons of comparable incidents, Pittsburgh management possible questioned whether or not Pickens would ever develop the maturity vital for his or her program.
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