Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens has frequently popped up in trade rumors, and a new report suggests that moving him out would be the in the best interest of the organization.
George Pickens had another productive season in Steel City, recording 59 receptions for 900 yards and three touchdowns. But Pickens also made headlines with some of his antics and behavior both on and off the field, such as the Week 5 game against the Dallas Cowboys when he wore eye black that read, “Open F**king Always”.
Well, a new report details another disturbing antic by the 23-year-old that should further fuel the trade speculation.
According to a report from Mike DeFabo of The Athletic, George Pickens was late for the Steelers’ Week 17 Christmas Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs, violating Mike Tomlin’s wish that players show up at least two hours before each contest:
“When he was finally healthy, how did he respond? By showing up late for the Christmas Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Tomlin asks players to report to games at least two hours before kickoff. On Dec. 25, Pickens walked through the media entrance an hour and 25 minutes before kickoff. That was after inactive players were announced.”
When Tomlin was asked to confirm this report about Pickens, the 52-year-old said he couldn’t “definitively” answer it.
Mike Tomlin's response to @TimBenzPGH question on if George Pickens was late to the Christmas Day game.
— Ashley Liotus (@AshleyLiotus) January 14, 2025
First reported by @MikeDeFabo @WTAE pic.twitter.com/7jKG3Huq7W
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As DeFabo also noted, there was an incident in the team’s Week 18 game against the Cincinnati Bengals where tight end Pat Freiermuth had to hold back Pickens as he got into it with fans.
George Pickens Has One Year Left On His Rookie Deal
The Steelers would be wise to make a decision on Pickens’ future before the 2025 season kicks off. He’ll be entering the fourth and final year of his rookie deal, and Pickens is simply too talented to risk losing for nothing in 2026 free agency.
So Pittsburgh should decide now if Pickens is worth keeping around long-term, or if they’d be better off trading him and rebuilding the WR room.
Also Read: Steelers HC Mike Tomlin Breaks Silence With A Message To Teams Interested In Trading For Him
