Steelers Now
George Pickens is putting his talents on display with the Dallas Cowboys. The former volatile Pittsburgh Steelers receiver, who was traded to Jerry Jones’ team in May, ranks second in the league with 908 receiving yards. In an article he wrote for The Players’ Tribune on Friday, he closed the book on his time in the Steel City.
“I don’t have a bad word to say about Pittsburgh,” Pickens wrote in the article. “I can call up Coach T right now and we’d have a real conversation. What I respect about him most is he always told me, ‘Just keep being you, George.’ It just wasn’t the long-term fit for where my journey was headed, and that’s OK.
“They did right by me. They sent me to the perfect spot in Dallas. What more do you want me to say? There’s no drama, bro. No headlines to write. They’re doing things their way up there, and I’m down here in Dallas with CeeDee and Dak doing what I do best. Everybody wins.”
Pickens was surprised when the Steelers plucked him in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He posted 2,841 receiving yards and caught a dozen touchdowns during his three seasons with Mike Tomlin’s team.
“I was supposed to go in the first round, but I kept sliding,” Pickens said. “I had never spoken to them in the whole lead-up to the draft. Everything started off so good, too. I had the one-handed catch in my third game, and y’all know the numbers. Second year, 1,100 yards. I don’t gotta bore you. But I was still a kid. I made some mistakes. I’ll own that. I let my emotions get the best of me a few times, because I’m always riding that line.
“That’s just who I am. I’ve tried to learn from it and grow while still being ME.”
In essence, the Steelers replaced Pickens with DK Metcalf, who arrived by way of Seattle during a March trade. Metcalf has 37 grabs for 551 yards and five touchdowns, all team-highs entering Sunday’s matchup with the Chicago Bears.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: George Pickens Takes Ownership of Rocky Steelers Tenure: ‘I Made Some Mistakes’
