Steelers Now
Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens has backed out of hosting a youth football camp in Pittsburgh at the last minute, despite giving assurances that he would still hold the camp following his trade to the Dallas Cowboys.
Pickens had been scheduled to host the youth camp, run by TruEdge Sports, at Highmark Stadium on June 28. He was traded to the Cowboys on May 7. After the trade, TruEdge had assured campers that Pickens had communicated his desire to continue to host the camp in Pittsburgh.
On Tuesday, the company announced that Pickens had reneged on that promise:
“Immediately following the trade, our team contacted George’s representation to confirm whether he would still honor his commitment to the Pittsburgh event. We were promptly assure that George remained committed to the camp and intended to show up for families who had registered. Based on that confirmation, we communicated this directly to you via email and text on May 9.
“Unfortunately, as of last week, TruEdge was notified be George’s team that he has decided to walk back on his word and is no longer interested in attending the camp. Let us be very clear: we are deeply frustrated by this decision and the position it has placed all of us in.”
TruEdge said that the camp, which has been sold out for months, will go on as scheduled, with Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth stepping in to replace Pickens. The group is also talking with multiple other Steelers players about attending. Freiermuth and the other Steelers players will also be signing autographs for the campers.
Pickens was traded to Dallas amid a myriad of issues, including repeated penalties and fines, refusing to block or hustle, derogatory comments on social media, repeated tardiness and inattentiveness at practices and meetings, wearing a profane message on his eye black during a nationally televised game, and showing up late for the team’s Christmas Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs, missing warmups in a game where he was attempting to return from an injury.
The Steelers received a third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft in exchange for Pickens.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: George Pickens Bails on Pittsburgh Youth Camp, Despite Re-Committing after Trade
