George Pickens trade: Pittsburgh Steelers GM Omar Khan reveals Dallas Cowboys initiated talks

With George Pickens entering the final year of his rookie deal, the Pittsburgh Steelers made the decision to trade the receiver to the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday. Steelers general manager Omar Khan said Friday that Pickens never requested out of Pittsburgh and the team did not initiate talks with the Cowboys.

“The trade sort of happened quickly,” Khan said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “We had some people inquire during the draft. Nothing that really made sense. The Cowboys reached out earlier this week. They proposed something for us to think about. We had conversations internally.”

Dallas acquired Pickens and a 2026 sixth round pick from Pittsburgh in exchange for a 2026 third round pick and a 2027 fifth round pick. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported ahead of Day 2 of this year’s NFL Draft that the Steelers had been receiving calls on the availability of Pickens.

At the same time, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he was working on “pretty substantive trades” that could happen “before or after the draft.” Less than two weeks after the draft, Jones has got his guy. Khan said a trade “made sense for everyone.”

“We also had some conversations with George’s agent, Dave [Mulugheta], who I have a good relationship with,” Khan said. “We discussed where things have been with George, where they are and where things could go with George. And this trade made sense for everyone. … We just felt that a fresh start for both sides was the right thing.”

George Pickens speaks out about Pittsburgh Steelers departure

Pickens appeared in 14 games last season as he missed some time with an injury. During that time, he hauled in 59 receptions for 900 yards and three touchdowns as a key piece of the Steelers’ passing attack. That came after an impressive second year in the NFL in 2023 when he had a career-high 1,140 yards and five touchdowns. His 18.1 yards per reception led the league that season.

His tenure in Pittsburgh was turbulent at times. Pickens has arrived for games and meetings later than requested by coaches, as well as arguing with fans during games. There was plenty of talk about the Steelers possibly moving on from Pickens during last season and now, the Cowboys have decided to be the team that makes the move for him, despite these concerns. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Pickens explained what led to things not working out in Pittsburgh.

“This game is just as much a business as it is football,” Pickens said. “It’s kinda like out of my control. I’m glad to be here in Dallas and able to continue the winning culture that they have.”