Three days after George Pickens was traded to the Dallas Cowboys, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ decision still has the NFL world buzzing. After months of speculation during the offseason and the 2025 NFL Draft, a deal came together quickly and quietly — with little public drama typically associated with moving a talented young wide receiver. But just days later, new details emerged that suggested the exit may have been more complicated than the team had let on.
Holes Poked in Pittsburgh Steelers’ Polished Narrative Behind George Pickens Trade to Cowboys
General manager Omar Khan held a rare spring press conference during rookie minicamp, telling reporters that the trade was simply “a fresh start for both sides.” Khan insisted Pickens never formally asked out of Pittsburgh and said the trade came together quickly after previous offers had been rejected during the draft. But not everyone is buying the clean-cut version of events.
Steelers insider Mark Kaboly appeared on 93.7 The Fan’s “PM Team with Poni and Mueller” shortly after Khan’s comments and poked holes in the polished narrative behind the exchange with the decades-long rival Cowboys. Kaboly, who also contributes to “The Pat McAfee Show,” said the situation inside the organization wasn’t as smooth as Khan made it out to be.
“I got a sense that it was a little more uglier than you thought behind closed doors … I think it was a lot more ugly,” Kaboly said. While he stopped short of detailing specific incidents, Kaboly’s tone indicates the decision to move on from Pickens wasn’t just a football one — it was cultural, personal, and likely emotional.
.@MarkKaboly on Pickens trade: "It was a lot uglier behind closed doors with George Pickens than you think."
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) May 9, 2025
Khan’s press conference only fueled that speculation. He acknowledged that the Cowboys weren’t the only team to express interest during the draft, but the Steelers declined those initial inquiries. It wasn’t until Dallas circled back this past week that Pittsburgh decided to listen seriously. “The trade sort of happened quickly,” Khan explained. “We had some people inquire during the draft. Nothing that really made sense.”
Khan said the internal discussions involved Steelers brass and Pickens’ agent, Dave Mulugheta. While Khan framed those conversations as “honest” and “serious,” he also admitted the team viewed the move as a culture reset, saying, “This trade made sense for everyone.”
When asked about the string of wide receivers the Steelers have moved on from in recent years — including Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, and now Pickens — Khan chalked it up to coincidence. “We want to get good players, good people,” he said.
“We’re chasing a championship,” Khan said. “Every decision we make is based on trying to win a championship, not only the future, but this year. We’re focused on trying to win a championship this year. … There’s a lot of time between now and the start of the season.”
If that’s the case and they aren’t just stocking up (they currently have 12 picks) to put on a big show in Pittsburgh, the host city of the 2026 NFL Draft, expect a significant move to replace Pickens in the coming weeks. With the young veteran gone, there’s DK Metcalf — and everyone else — no clear WR2 currently exists in the wide receiver room.
The Steelers may never publicly air all the dirty laundry, but insiders like Kaboly already hint that this trade wasn’t just about Xs and Os — it was about dysfunction behind the scenes.