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Mike Tomlin was firm and direct with George Pickens; he also left a warning for the Dallas Cowboys and all their fans

George Pickens is Dak Prescott's new receiver

Mike Tomlin was firm and direct with George Pickens; he also left a warning for the Dallas Cowboys and all their fans

There's no doubt that one of the Dallas Cowboys' biggest needs for the season was a No. 2 wide receiver. It was expected that they would target someone with those attributes in the Draft. However, they surprised everyone by selecting Alabama offensive guard Tyler Booker.

Booker also filled a team need, but Cowboys fans were eager for a playmaker, and many were left with a sense of disappointment after the Draft. But at the end of last week, Jerry Jones and the Dallas front office pulled off a surprise move by acquiring controversial wide receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers via trade.

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Pickens has shown flashes of greatness in the NFL, and despite playing in a conservative offense last season, he still managed over 900 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. Now, paired with CeeDee Lamb in Dallas, the duo promises to form an explosive offense. The main issue with Pickens has always been his behavior.

Mike Tomlin didn't want to go deep on the George Pickens topic

George Pickens' talent has never been in doubt-but his attitude has. At one point, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin once referred to Pickens' behavior as "like a stone in my shoe." Now, Tomlin has distanced himself from the receiver in a rather discreet manner.

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Appearing for the first time before the media after the trade that sent Pickens to the Cowboys in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick, Tomlin kept things short:

"You know, I'm not going to add any color to it beyond what [general manager] Omar [Khan] told you yesterday," said Tomlin. "We thought it was the best and most timely decision for all parties involved."

The Steelers have not leaked any details about what may have happened between Pickens and the team. However, the moment they spent a second-round pick and gave a five-year, $150 million contract to wide receiver DK Metcalf, it became clear they no longer wanted Pickens in the locker room. That move sealed his fate.

If George Pickens was already a high-profile player with the Steelers, the media attention will be even greater now with the spotlight of the Dallas Cowboys. But if he manages to unleash his full potential, it could end up being a masterstroke by Jerry Jones and the Cowboys' front office.

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