Thursday’s “First Call” has lots of reaction to the news surrounding the Steelers trade of George Pickens to Dallas.

That move resulted in the Steelers stumbling into a wild statistical anomaly. A former Steeler is getting an honor from his alma mater.

And former Pitt great Aaron Donald is getting some help from the legal system in Los Angeles.

Tank time?

After the Steelers traded George Pickens to Dallas on Wednesday morning, former Steeler Ryan Clark had some harsh words about the organization.

“It sounds like they’re tanking,” Clark said on ESPN’s “Get Up” (at 42:03). “I know they are, because they’ve made other moves. When you look at this roster, this roster can’t compete to have a winning season. This roster can’t compete to be a playoff team. This roster can’t compete to be an AFC champion.”

If the Steelers don’t have a winning season, it’ll be the first time they have failed to clear that bar since 2003.

“It’s not only about what the roster looks like, it’s the way that they’re moving and maneuvering around building this roster,” Clark said. “I don’t really understand what’s going on, but I do have a ton of faith in Omar Khan, the general manager. I have a ton of faith in Mike Tomlin. But at this point, this isn’t a team I’d put any money on.”

I don’t think the Steelers are tanking. I just think they are victims of their own mismanagement at this point. Either way, it is now impossible for them to suggest that they are doing everything in their power to win every single season, or else they would’ve made this trade before the draft or signed another wide receiver in free agency.

Instead, they accepted a draft pick in 2026 for Pickens from Dallas. In that ‘03 season, the Steelers finished 6-10 and drafted Ben Roethlisberger with the 11th overall pick.

Here’s a first

If you want to build an argument that the Steelers are tanking, here’s a point that’ll add some fuel to that fire.

Via SteelersDepot.com, excluding the WWII merger years with the Cardinals and Eagles, this is the first time in the 92-year history of the club that the Steelers will start a season without last year’s leading passer, rusher and receiver.

That’s never happened before. Russell Wilson, Najee Harris and Pickens were the leaders in those categories last season. They are all gone in 2025.

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Pickens is now a Cowboy. Wilson went to New York to join the Giants. Harris is in L.A. with the Chargers.

And the way CBSSports.com’s Jonathan Jones characterizes it, it sure sounds as if the Steelers were hell-bent on moving Pickens after completing the DK Metcalf trade.

“Not a surprise at all that George Pickens is no longer going to be a Pittsburgh Steeler,” Jones said. “They had made that very clear around the NFL. Certainly, after trading for DK Metcalf a couple of months ago. And then when we got to the NFL Draft, whether it happened on draft weekend or after draft weekend, it was clear that George Pickens was on his way out of Pittsburgh.”

The Steelers are now projected to have five picks in the first two days of the NFL Draft. They will have their own first-round pick, a second-round pick and three third-rounders, with a compensatory pick expected for Justin Fields’ departure for New York.

Props for Pouncey

Maurkice Pouncey received an honor Wednesday. The former Steelers center was inducted into the University of Florida Athletics Hall of Fame.

Pouncey was the Steelers’ first-round draft choice out of the SEC school in 2010. He was a starting offensive lineman for the Gators from 2007-2009, and was part of the 2008 National Championship squad.

During his junior season, Pouncey won the Rimington Trophy. That honor is given annually to college football’s top center. He was the first Gator to ever claim it en route to an All-American season.

Pouncey turned pro after that. He was a two-time All-Pro and was selected to play in nine Pro Bowls. His twin brother, Mike, was a teammate of Pouncey’s in college. He left the program for the NFL in 2010, playing 10 years with the Dolphins and Chargers.

Seeking safety

Former Pitt star Aaron Donald has managed to get a restraining order against a woman he claims has been stalking him.

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The retired Los Angeles Rams legend claims that a woman named Janelle Anwar has been harassing him for years. Now, the Penn Hills grad has managed to get the courts in Los Angeles County to intervene.

According to Donald’s attorney, his client has secured a five-year restraining order against the woman. This comes on the heels of Donald getting a temporary order last month.

Donald’s complaint insisted that Anwar has been stalking him and his family dating back to emails sent in 2020. Via ProFootballTalk.com, “She has sent packages and gifts. She eventually, according to Donald, threatened the life of his 3-year-old son, Aaric.”

Not only that, but the complaint also says that Anwar believes she and Donald are married. She allegedly filed for dissolution of the so-called “marriage” in March, seeking a divorce settlement of $6.5 million.