On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers traded wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys in a blockbuster move. And, for the first time since that trade was made, the talented wide receiver has made his first comments on the move.
Pickens was brought in to Dallas for an introductory press conference on Thursday and touched on his reaction to the trade that will have him sporting a Cowboys uniform in 2025.
"It was like my old draft reaction. I found out when everyone else found out. I feel great, I like the mojo here," Pickens said, according to Nick Harris of the Forth Worst Star-Telegram. "I like the swag, there's a lot of new players I've been meeting. I feel like they have a good thing going, for sure."
Reporters tried to get him to go into detail about his days in Pittsburgh, but Pickens wouldn't bite in terms of saying anything negative.
"I'm where I'm at right now. I can't look into the past," Pickens said.
"This game is just as much of a business as it is football," he added. "(The trade) was kind of out of my control. I'm just glad to be here in Dallas and continue the winning culture that they have."
While he's in Dallas for 2025, Pickens' future remains murky.
The former second-round pick is entering the final year of his contract, and there has been no indication that the Cowboys will extend him before that happens. Pickens says he isn't worried about that right now.
"I'm kind of where my feet are right now, to be honest," he said. "I'm not thinking about contract talk. I'm glad to be here with the Cowboys and trying to build a winning culture."
Over the course of his career with the Steelers, Pickens was known for his volatile behavior and immature attitude, which has led to a negative opinion of him, and that's part of the reason why the Steelers traded him.
Pickens notes he can't control what others think about him and said he's just focused on growing as he gets older.
"I can't change anyone's opinion. Me, personally, I just continue to grow. Everyone in the world has to grow as you get older and older," he explained. "I'm just trying to build a winning culture, which they already have at the Cowboys.
"I'm just glad to be joining."
Pickens was the Steelers' No. 1 target, but in Dallas he'll be the No. 2 behind Ceedee Lamb, giving the Cowboys a great one-two punch at the position.
"Schematically, you can't double everybody. It'll be good for me and (Lamb)," he said. "I'm just here to work. Whatever role finds me is where I'll find myself."
Knowing Pickens, we thought there was a chance he might say something negative about the Steelers, but that did not happen. Instead, Pickens is starting off his Cowboys tenure without controversy, which is the best bet for him.
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