The George Pickens era ended like it was always going to with the Pittsburgh Steelers: quickly and abruptly.
That was the case Wednesday morning as the Steelers traded Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys for a third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and a late-round pick swap in the 2027 NFL Draft. The move ended Pickens’ tenure with the Steelers that featured some highs on the field from a splash-play perspective, but also featured far too many headache-inducing moments with a lack of effort, judgment and attitude on and off the field, too.
For former NFL head coach Jay Gruden, who appeared on the latest episode of his podcast “Clean Pocket” on Underdog Sports, the move is one that Pittsburgh’s gotta be happy about, because they moved off of a receiver that isn’t a Mike Tomlin type of guy due to his effort and attitude.