Why Did Steelers Trade George Pickens? WR Was 'A Child,' Says NFL Insider

The Pittsburgh Steelers' decision to trade wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys in May was partly due to immaturity issues, according to ESPN's Todd Archer and Jeremy Fowler.

"He's a child," a Steelers source told Archer and Fowler. "The playmaking is breathtaking. You can't take that away from him. He just really struggled with the maturity part [in Pittsburgh]. You didn't know what you were going to get day to day."

Ridiculous Pickens Catch 🤧

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On May 7, the Steelers dealt Pickens and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Cowboys in exchange for a 2026 third-round selection as well as a 2027 fifth-round pick.

The 24-year-old spent the first three seasons of his career in Pittsburgh, reeling in 174 catches for 2,841 yards and 12 touchdowns across 48 games. He quickly established himself as a deep threat, averaging 16.3 yards per reception throughout his Steelers tenure.

Still, Pickens was urged by head coach Mike Tomlin to "grow up" after picking up two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties during a Dec. 2024 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

"He's just got to grow up, man," Tomlin said, per ESPN's Brooke Pryor. "This is an emotional game, man. These divisional games are big. He's got a target on his back because he's George, he understands that. But he's got to grow up. He's got to grow up in a hurry."

Pickens was also fined earlier in the year for writing an explicit message on his eye black and received a separate fine for grabbing the facemask of former Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis, which sent Lewis to the ground.

It's also worth noting that Pickens is on the final year of his rookie contract. Two months before he was moved to Dallas, Pittsburgh acquired wideout DK Metcalf in a swap with the Seattle Seahawks and handed him a four-year extension worth $132 million.

Pickens has thrived following the change of scenery, as he's in the midst of a breakout season with the Cowboys. His 73 catches for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns are all career-high marks.