George Pickens speaks out about Pittsburgh Steelers departure

George Pickens is now a member of the Dallas Cowboys and ready to move on from the Pittsburgh Steelers. While speaking to reporters on Thursday, the veteran wide receiver explained what led to things not working out in Pittsburgh.

“This game is just as much a business as it is football,” George Pickens said, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. “It’s kinda like out of my control. I’m glad to be here in Dallas and able to continue the winning culture that they have.”

Pickens spent his first three seasons with the Steelers and recorded at least 50 receptions and 800 yards each year. On Wednesday, the Steelers traded the former Georgia Bulldogs star to the Cowboys for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.

Despite his production with the Steelers, Pickens had his share of issues. Brooke Pryor of ESPN wrote, “Though he was an explosive and productive player for the Steelers on the field, Pickens had a pattern of concerning conduct over his three years with the team and often drew the ire of coaches for his sideline histrionics and costly celebrations. Against the Bengals in Week 13 last season, he was flagged twice for unsportsmanlike conduct after making big catches, and a week earlier, he was involved in a scuffle with Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II. Then, prior to the Christmas Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Pickens arrived at the stadium less than 90 minutes prior to kickoff, an unusually late arrival time.”

George Pickens talks playing on the final year of his rookie contract

Pickens is entering the final year of his rookie contract and talked about his future with reporters. “I’m kinda where my feet are right now, to be honest,” he said. “I’m not really thinking about contract talks. I’m just glad to be with the Cowboys right now, trying to build a winning culture.”

Pickens will likely be the Cowboys’ No. 2 receiver and will team up with CeeDee Lamb, who caught 101 passes for 1,194 yards and six touchdowns last year. “It excites me a lot, because in the game of football, we can work off each other,” Pickens said about playing with Lamb. “There’s no ‘Oh he gets the ball, I get the ball,’ we’re working off each other. That’s why I always come back to building a winning culture, and that’s kind of what we’ve been talking about in Dallas.”