Former NFL wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh believes that George Pickens’ antics with the Pittsburgh Steelers were enough for them to move on from him. Houshmandzadeh says he knows people who play on the team, and he would consistently be late for events, including the team’s plane and bus departures.

Pickens is the most recent of a common trend in Pittsburgh where the organization parts ways with young receivers at the end of their rookie deals rather than extending their contracts.

George Pickens didn't put any pressure on the Pittsburgh Steelers to trade him before being dealt to the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters on Friday for the first time since the deal, Steelers general manager Omar Khan explained that Pickens never requested a trade.