The Pittsburgh Steelers recently shocked fans by trading wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys, a move that prompted quick reactions from many analysts.
Former Steelers safety Ryan Clark initially jumped to conclusions about the trade’s motivation before publicly walking back his comments.
After his first take suggested personality concerns drove the decision, Clark took a moment to reflect and offered a candid apology on his podcast “The Pivot.”
He acknowledged rushing to judgment about both Pickens and his former coach, Mike Tomlin.
“I’m disappointed in myself today,” Clark said. “This morning, I wasn’t supposed to work on Get Up, but I found out that George Pickens was going to be traded to the Dallas Cowboys. And immediately, my thought was, ‘Damn, somebody so talented, they must be tired of dealing with the personality.’ And I fell into the same thing that all the people who actually don’t know this kid falls into, and I also felt like I slighted George and I slighted Mike T – Mike T, who doesn’t run away from coaching.”
I jumped the gun this morning on George Pickens. I immediately jumped to the low hanging fruit that the Steelers traded the ultra talented receiver because of his behavior, but that’s disrespectful on two fronts. It would actually be an indictment on George Pickens and Mike… pic.twitter.com/UdxufZqa9u
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) May 8, 2025
Clark expanded his self-correction, noting he failed to consider business factors likely driving the trade, particularly with Pickens entering the final year of his rookie contract.
The former safety admitted he should have given more credit to Tomlin’s proven track record of developing players through challenging periods.
His reflection went deeper regarding Pickens himself.
While acknowledging the receiver has made questionable on-field decisions, Clark emphasized his personal interactions revealed a young man with genuine character and positive energy.
The analyst ultimately concluded his initial reaction lacked fairness both to the Steelers organization he respects and to a talented young player still finding his way in the league.
The trade represents another bold move by the Cowboys, who continue reshaping their receiving corps ahead of the upcoming season while the Steelers move forward with their offensive reconstruction.
NEXT: George Pickens Breaks Silence On Being Traded To Cowboys
