Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens, whose 2024 campaign was marked by drama, has found himself at the center of NFL trade rumors even before the season officially ended. The Steelers’ 0-5 finish to close out the year only fueled the speculation.
However, Pickens appears to have had enough. On January 22, the wide receiver fired back at an Instagram post suggesting he might be traded to the Washington Commanders this offseason.
“These pages are not in the building. Or any facility,” Pickens commented, adding a raised-eyebrow emoji. “Just stop lying for clicks and views my brotha.”
The rumored trade to Washington was one of five offseason trade proposals put forth by Brooke for teams looking to contend.
In 2025, Pickens will enter the final year of his rookie contract. Given his reputation for stirring drama, Steelers insiders have speculated the team will either sign him to a long-term deal this summer or trade him to another organization.
Pickens recorded 59 catches for 900 yards and three touchdowns in 2024. Over his 48 NFL games, he has averaged an impressive 16.3 yards per catch.
George Pickens Denies NFL Trade Speculation
It’s understandably frustrating for players to endure baseless trade rumors during the offseason. But the NFL, as a business and an entertainment industry, thrives on constant attention. That inevitably leads to stories based solely on speculation.
Navigating such rumors is part of being a modern NFL player.
Still, Pickens’ decision to address the speculation directly was a wise move. Steelers fans and supporters will likely appreciate the clarification.
In 2025, the Steelers will need more of that kind of leadership from their star wide receiver.
However, Pickens may have contributed to the trade speculation. At the end of the 2024 season, he was seen walking up to Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce during their Netflix postgame interviews.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio speculated that this public interaction was Pickens’ way of signaling his interest in joining Mahomes in Kansas City.
On the field, Pickens could also show more maturity or social awareness. During the Steelers’ first game against the Cincinnati Bengals, he committed two 15-yard penalties in their 44-38 victory.
After that game, TribLive’s Mark Madden argued the Steelers might not be able to justify giving Pickens a second contract.
Despite the controversies, Pickens remains a phenomenal talent. He has averaged more than 15 yards per catch in each of his three NFL seasons and led the league in that category in 2023.
To help the Steelers offense become more consistent, Pickens will need to continue demonstrating leadership, like he did on Instagram on January 22.
Pickens’ Steelers Future Tied to Free Agency?
It remains to be seen how Steelers insiders will respond to Pickens’ denial of The 33rd Team’s trade rumor. Many insiders, including Gerry Dulac of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, have suggested a Pickens trade could happen this offseason.
Dulac didn’t say a trade was certain but speculated it could depend on the Steelers’ ability to sign an elite receiver in free agency.
The Steelers nearly acquired Brandon Aiyuk last offseason, but that deal fell apart at the last minute.
If the team adds a high-caliber receiver, Pickens could become expendable. However, that might not solve Pittsburgh’s problem. The team had one of the weakest receiving corps in the league last season. Their struggles began when Pickens was sidelined with an injury in December.
Trading Pickens could leave the Steelers back at square one, even with a top-tier addition.
Unless Pickens specifically requests a trade—and his comments on January 22 suggest otherwise—the Steelers might choose to keep him for at least one more season.
