"They can take it up with Pickens": Mike Florio urges Pittsburgh youth football camp sponsor after George Pickens bails out

NBC Sports analyst Mike Florio didn’t hold back when reacting to the fallout surrounding George Pickens’ unexpected withdrawal from a Pittsburgh youth football camp. The veteran NFL commentator criticized the camp’s organizers for poor communication and urged them to shift their frustration toward the Cowboys' wide receiver.

Florio's response came in his NBC Sports column on Wednesday.

"Our free advice to the company? Do a little less crapping on Pickens and a little more offering of a full and complete refund to everyone who gave you their money," Florio said. "And if that causes the company to lose money, they can take it up with Pickens. If they got him to sign a binding contract to participate in the event."

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George Pickens’ offseason move to Dallas involved a pair of mid-round draft picks, and he’s expected to fill a crucial vertical-threat role alongside CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys are counting on his physicality and deep-ball potential to boost their offense. They ranked No. 15 in receiving unit strength heading into the season, per Pro Football Focus.

Meanwhile, the company behind the camp said the new date is set for July 20 and announced that Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth will step in as the replacement guest.

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The organizers delayed notifying families about George Pickens' exit

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The event, originally scheduled for Saturday, had marketed Pickens as its headline draw. Parents were notified via email just days before the event that the wideout would no longer be attending. This is despite earlier assurances he’d still participate following his trade from the Steelers to Dallas.

The event was priced at a minimum of $150 per child for four hours of football drills and interaction. Florio pointed out that parents who paid to attend the “George Pickens Youth Football Camp” signed up for just that, not a revamped experience with a different NFL figure.

The organizers admitted in their message that they’d known of Pickens’ change of plans a week in advance but didn’t inform families until three days before the event. According to the company, they held off on announcing until Freiermuth had officially confirmed his availability.