Steelers Stalwart Reacts to Pickens Trade

At some point, the Pittsburgh Steelers came to the conclusion that receiver George Pickens would not be a long-term fixture on the perimeter.

Maybe it was when the team acquired Seattle Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf, or when he showed up late to a regular-season game. Perhaps Pickens was tolerable on a rookie contract, but too risky to make one of the highest-paid receivers in the sport.

Whatever the reason, it has helped land him with the Dallas Cowboys for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 Day 3 pick swap.

On his podcast, “Not Just Football,” Steelers star Cameron Heyward reacted to the Pickens trade.

"Was I surprised? Yeah," Heyward said, via Josh Carney of Steelers Depot. "But you know, the game is the game, and I know it benefits both teams. We get another third-round pick. They get a wide receiver to go along with CeeDee Lamb. Would I have liked to see George and [DK Metcalf] play together? Yeah, but hopefully there's something in the works."

Heyward’s words are particularly interesting given the recent reporting from Mark Kaboly that Pittsburgh veterans had grown increasingly “fed up” with Pickens. Others have suggested that head coach Mike Tomlin was the driving force behind the deal.

Some might suspect that Heyward was among those veterans who had grown tired of the lazy routes, unnecessary roughness penalties, and general instability from a snap-to-snap basis.

Ultimately, the trade makes the Steelers considerably worse in the short term. They’re essentially back to square one, with a slight upgrade at the one receiver spot with an above-average starter from last season. For now, the quarterback play is worse, too.

In typical Pittsburgh fashion, Heyward expressed confidence in his team being just fine, despite the setback.

"This is a PSA for all Steeler fans," Heyward said. "Don't panic. Stay patient. We'll get to work. I think sometimes we can jump off the ship and think the ship is sinking. We got work to do. And, you know, whoever won the offseason isn't gonna win the regular season, is not gonna win the Super Bowl. So, I'm locked in on that, locked in on having a good year and I hope my teammates are, too."