Porque ele queria ficar como capitão. Como você disse, ele recebe uma promoção em TNG: Coming Of Age , e ele declara isso por exatamente isso:
QUINN: That's not enough. I want to promote you to Admiral, and I want you to take over as Commandant of Starfleet Academy.
PICARD: The Academy.
QUINN: Yes.
PICARD: The Academy?
QUINN: I need you close.
PICARD: Then there was never a problem with the Enterprise.
QUINN: No, but I had to be sure you hadn't been co-opted.
PICARD: Greg, this is politics, and I'm not good at politics. Surely there are others who are better suited.
Mais tarde no episódio:
QUINN: Wish I could convince you to change your mind.
PICARD: I'll serve you better here.
Mais tarde, o Capitão Kirk disse-lhe para não aceitar a promoção em Star Trek: Generations, afirmando ainda mais a sua posição.
KIRK: You know, maybe this is less about an empty house than that empty chair on the bridge of the Enterprise. Ever since I left Starfleet I haven't made a difference. ...Captain of the Enterprise, huh?
PICARD: That's right.
KIRK: Close to retirement?
PICARD: I'm not planning on it.
KIRK: Let me tell you something. Don't! Don't let them promote you. Don't let them transfer you. Don't let them do anything that takes you off the bridge of that ship, because while you're there, you can make a difference.
(ênfase minha)
Kirk depois reforça sua filosofia de "fazer a diferença" com suas últimas palavras:
Em última análise, Picard quer ser um explorador, não um administrador, e enquanto ele é, sem dúvida, um diplomata realizado, ele não está interessado nos gracejos mundanos da diplomacia administrativa. Nós vemos essa atitude expressa em Star Trek: Insurreição.KIRK: Did we do it? ...Did we make a difference?
PICARD: Oh, yes, we made a difference. Thank you.
KIRK: It's the least I could do for the Captain of the Enterprise. ...It was ...fun. ...Oh my.
Após uma longa conversa sobre saudações tradicionais e remarcação de missão:
RIKER: The diplomatic corps is busy with Dominion negotiations.
PICARD: Oh, so they need us to put out one more brush fire. Can anyone remember when we used to be explorers?