Steelers Now
Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens was benched to start the game for the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football, along with fellow receiver CeeDee Lamb.
Pickens and Lamb did not start the game for the Cowboys on Monday against the Las Vegas Raiders. ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters reported that there was no injury issue and that the players were not in the starting lineup thanks to a coach’s decision.
Without the team’s top two receivers on the field, the Cowboys went three-and-out on the opening possession, with one Dak Prescott pass going incomplete to Jalen Tolbert.
Pickens didn’t let the slow start hold him back. He had over 100 yards receiving in the first half and scored a touchdown in the second quarter.
Nice catch and run for a 37-yard George Pickens touchdown!
DALvsLV on ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN App pic.twitter.com/yblz3Tv6y4— NFL (@NFL) November 18, 2025
Pickens was immediately flagged for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct on the celebration after his touchdown.
Cowboys superstar WR George Pickens did the Antonio Brown touchdown celebration.
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 18, 2025
Pickens was traded from the Steelers to the Cowboys this May after a series of on- and off-the-field incidents that came to a head at the end of the 2024 season. Pickens said he’s appreciated a fresh start with the Cowboys.
“It was a good for me,” Pickens said. “Just strictly because you know when you’re somewhere long and you build a certain record, a certain label, whether that’s good, great, or bad, you just want a fresh start. That’s how I feel like it is with a lot of people in life.”
The Steelers replaced Pickens with DK Metcalf, but have continually struggled to find another receiver to put alongside their top receiver for the second straight offseason.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: George Pickens Benched for Start of Game by Cowboys
