After the trade that sent wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys, the former Pittsburgh Steelers playmaker has now decided to back out of his youth football camp, which as set to take place on June 28.
The decision was revealed in an email sent from TruEdge Sports to families, which was posted on X by user @BenAnderson58. TruEdge said that Pickens had initially decided to still hold the camp after the trade but has since backed out.
TruEdge called the decision “sudden” and noted that Pickens’ team notified them of his backing out of the commitment just last week. The email was also shared in a post on Reddit.
“Unfortunately, as of last week, TruEdge was notified by George’s team that he has decided to walk back on his word and is no longer interested in attending the camp,” the email explained. “Let us be very clear: we are deeply frustrated by this decision and the position it has placed all of us in.”
Thankfully, Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth has stepped up to save the day. TruEdge revealed that Freiermuth has agreed to step in to replace Pickens, so the camp will still be taking place, although the date has been moved to July 20.
In addition to Freiermuth, TruEdge is also working to get other Steelers to take part in the event, with talks actively taking place.
“That said, we are determined for this event to be a wonderful experience for you all,” the email added. “As soon as we were informed of George’s decision, our team went to preserve this event. We’re pleased to share that Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth has officially comitted to stepping in as a guard for this camp.
“Additionally, we are actively in talks with multiple other Steelers players and fully intend to build out an exciting lineup that delivers value to every family. As new players are confirmed, we will notify you immediately,” the email concluded.
It’s understandable why Pickens wouldn’t want to still host a youth football camp in Pittsburgh, but he should have made that decision back in May instead of waiting until this late stage.
On the flip side, kudos to Freiermuth for doing what he’s doing. As if we couldn’t love Muth more.
