From December by means of late January, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and staff proprietor/president Art Rooney II publicly said they’d wish to see large receiver George Pickens develop/develop up.
Thus, it wasn’t surprising when the Steelers officially traded Pickens to the Cowboys on Thursday.
Whereas talking throughout an introductory convention name, Pickens publicly responded to what Tomlin and Rooney needed to say.
“Simply taking someday at a time,” Pickens stated, as shared by Todd Archer of ESPN. “I really feel like all people on the earth is engaged on rising on the bettering of their self. I really feel like development for me is taking an amazing course in me coming to the Cowboys.”
Tomlin provided his unique remark shortly after Pickens was flagged twice for unsportsmanlike conduct throughout Pittsburgh’s Week 13 matchup this previous season. That wasn’t the primary time that the 24-year-old caused a headache from the 2023 marketing campaign up till he indicated after the Steelers’ wild-card playoff loss in January that he wasn’t optimistic about the way forward for the membership’s offense.
Pickens reportedly showed up late for Pittsburgh’s 2024 Christmas Day recreation when he already had a popularity for being “late for follow typically” and for missing “a sure stage of professionalism.” It now appears that Pittsburgh’s “unsettled quarterback situation” prompted him to need to play elsewhere whereas within the final year of his rookie deal.
Pickens confirmed on Thursday that he didn’t request a commerce earlier than information of the deal broke on Wednesday. That stated, the 2022 second-round draft choose is embracing a recent begin as he hopes to ultimately safe a multi-year dedication from Dallas or a unique membership.
“I can not actually change anybody’s opinion [of] me personally. Similar to I stated, proceed to develop,” Pickens added. “I really feel like all people on the earth has to develop. You become old and older as you develop. Like I stated, I am simply making an attempt to construct a profitable tradition, which they have already got on the Cowboys. I am simply glad to be becoming a member of it.”
Pickens insisted he’s “not likely fascinated about contract talks” heading into his first coaching camp as a Dallas participant. If he proves to be little greater than a one-year rental for the Cowboys, Tomlin and Co. will possible really feel they received this commerce no matter what occurs in the course of the 2025 season.
