George Pickens' time as a Pittsburgh Steeler ended with a trade to Dallas, but according to former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, the decision to move on had far more to do with the receiver's personal limitations than his talent.
Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, Tomlin offered one of the clearest explanations yet for why Pittsburgh never made Pickens part of its long-term plans. The answer may be particularly interesting for Cowboys fans now watching Pickens develop into one of the league's most dangerous wideouts.
Tomlin acknowledged that Pickens always possessed the talent to become a spectacular player. The problem, in Pittsburgh's eyes, was whether his development extended beyond what he could do between the white lines.
"For us, I just
thought, it's not only play, Tomlin said. "It's development in other areas, intangible areas." — Mike Tomlin on The Rich Eisen Show
Those intangible qualities became especially important when the Steelers considered what Pickens would look like playing on a lucrative, second contract. Tomlin explained that big-money extensions come with responsibilities beyond producing statistics.
ESPN insider Dan Graziano also pointed out on his 10 lingering questions of the NFL offseason, why didn't any team sign Pickens to an offer sheet when Dallas used thenon-exclusive franchise tag on the Pro Bowl receiver?
The reason in many eyes, people want to see Pickens mature as a leader.
"(A second contract)didn't happen for us with George. But that doesn't necessarily mean that he's not gonna be a spectacular player." — Mike Tomlin
That distinction is perhaps the most important part of the entire conversation. The Steelers questioned whether he was ready to become the type of player they wanted to build around. Dallas may now be betting that Pickens can prove them wrong.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Former Steelers HC Tomlin cites 'intangibles' for trading Pickens to Cowboys
