Amid Ugly Receiver History Steelers Mike Tomlin Pulled Plug On George Pickens

One man's trash is another man's treasure. Right, Pittsburgh Steelers fans?

While the Dallas Cowboys gloat over adding an elite No. 2 receiver in George Pickens, a new report from longtime Steelers writer and Pat McAfee Show contributor Mark Kaboly claims that none other than Mike Tomlin wanted the talented-but-temperamental player out of town.

"Make no mistake about it, Tomlin — who has gone out of his way in the past to defend Pickens — is the one who decided that the Pickens rehabilitation project needed to end a year early," Kaboly writes. "The ultimate decision had very little to do with general manager Omar Khan (although he signed off on it, too), and of course it was OK’d by team owner Art Rooney II."

If iron-fisted Tomlin couldn't control Pickens' emotional outbursts, does Cowboys' rookie boss Brian Schottenheimer stand a chance?

After an ugly two-game stretch in 2023 in which he caught only three passes for 21 yards, Pickens posted "Free me!" on his social media and scrubbed any mentions of the Steelers. He later explained the move had "nothing to do with football." Later that year he was roundly criticized for a lack of effort, specifically not blocking for running back Jaylen Warren near the goal line. Pickens claimed he was trying to avoid injury.

He's had multiple shouting altercations with fans at games. He's been fined several times for unsportsmanlike conduct, including last year's game against the Cowboys when he violently grabbed the facemask of cornerback Jourdan Lewis. And in Week 17 he arrived late for a key game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Said Tomlin about Pickens late last year, "He's just got to grow up, man. This is an emotional game. 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."

Tomlin is a future Hall of Famer and is perceived to have total control of the Steelers' locker room. But with the addition of Pickens, the list of receivers he ultimately couldn't handle is rather impressive:

Martavis Bryant, 2018.

Antonio Brown, 2019.

Chase Claypool, 2022.

Diontae Johnson, 2024.

George Pickens, 2025.

Did the Cowboys steal a treasure? Or did Tomlin and the Steelers merely part with more trash?