TruEdge Sports apologizes for statement after George Pickens backs out of camp

TruEdge Sports has apologized for the statement it released earlier this week when it called out former Steelers receiver George Pickens for backing out of his youth sports camp.

The original statement released to parents of campers said that the company was “incredibly frustrated by George Pickens’ lack of professionalism and his decision to abandon the commitment he personally confirmed after his trade.”

It added that former Penn State star Pat Freiermuth was set to fill in as a guest in place of George Pickens.

TruEdge Sports initially said that it talked to Pickens directly after he was traded to the Cowboys this offseason and that he “personally confirmed” he would still hold the camp, before backing out at the last minute.

On Friday, TruEdge walked back those comments in a new statement.

“At TruEdge Sports, we take pride in fostering strong relationships with the athletes, families and communities we serve. Recently, a statement was issued regarding our scheduled youth camp with George Pickens that did not accurately reflect the full scope of communication or the context surrounding the event.

“At no point did George communicate with us directly, and our communications with George’s representatives led to confusion about the camp’s status and future direction.

“Regrettably, the language used in our original message mischaracterized George’s intent and actions. While our frustrations stemmed from the uncertainty surrounding the event, it was never our intent to publicly question George’s professionalism, integrity, or commitment to the community. We now understand that the tone and implications of our message were not only inappropriate but inconsistent with our values as an organization.

“We recognize that he was navigating a significant career transition during this time and that his team kept open lines of communication with us.”

Clearly, TruEdge feels that it went overboard with its first statement and that parts of it were inaccurate and unfair.

The George Pickens Youth Football Camp was originally scheduled to take place this Saturday. However, in its previous statement TruEdge announced that it is being moved to Saturday, July 20 at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh.

In addition to Freiermuth, the company is “actively in talks with multiple other Steelers players and fully intends to build out an exciting lineup that delivers value to every family.”

In order to “make this right,” TruEdge said that it is providing autographs for free from all Steelers players who attend the camp, offering a 25% credit towards other future TruEdge camps and more.