Following the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, a recreation wherein WR George Pickens was penalized twice for unsportsmanlike conduct, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stated the receiver needed to “develop up in a rush.”
“It’s an emotional recreation, man. These divisional video games are large,” Tomlin stated on the time. “He’s bought a goal on his again as a result of he’s George, he understands that. However he has gotta develop up.”
On Wednesday, the Steelers traded Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys, and he responded to Tomlin’s feedback throughout his introductory press convention.
“Simply taking at some point at a time. I really feel like all people on this planet is engaged on rising, on their bettering of their self. I really feel like development for me is taking an important path in me coming to the Cowboys,” Pickens stated Thursday through ESPN’s Todd Archer.
On the time, it didn’t appear as if Pickens took Tomlin’s feedback to coronary heart. He bought injured in apply the next week, lacking three video games, and the following recreation he performed, in Week 17 in opposition to the Chiefs, Pickens reportedly confirmed up late for it.
Pickens appears to suppose that the commerce to Dallas will assist in his maturation course of, and that’s what the Cowboys are banking on. Expertise has by no means been the query with Pickens. He was Pittsburgh’s most efficient receiver every of the final two seasons, and earlier than his damage, he was one of many NFL’s main receivers final yr. However he accrued 1000’s of {dollars} in fines from the workforce and league for his actions, and his perspective was consistently a query in Pittsburgh.
With Pickens coming into the final yr of his deal in 2025, the Steelers opted to commerce the previous second-round decide and assure themselves future draft capital. Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Publish-Gazette known as the transfer “addition by subtraction” on account of Pickens’ conduct, and the Cowboys are hoping that Pickens may be extra of knowledgeable in Dallas than he was in Pittsburgh.
As for the commerce itself, Pickens stated that he discovered on the “similar time as everybody else,” per Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning Information.
Whereas rumors percolated all offseason in regards to the Steelers buying and selling Pickens they usually mentioned a take care of the Cowboys in the course of the draft, issues appeared collectively shortly in the previous few days after the Cowboys reportedly upped their provide. The commerce was initially reported in early Wednesday morning, and it doesn’t seem to be Pickens bought any advance discover of him being dealt.
If George Pickens can put all of it collectively on the sphere and along with his perspective, he has the potential to be probably the greatest receivers within the league. That’s why Dallas felt comfy pulling the set off on a commerce, and he appears to be assured that he’s in the suitable place to develop up.
