Steelers Now
Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens did not turn heads in his debut with the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, a 24-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Pickens had only three receptions on four targets for 30 yards. Meanwhile, CeeDee Lamb had seven receptions for 110 yards on 13 targets. Lamb also had three drops, two of which came on Dallas’ final drive.
As he did with the Steelers, Pickens displayed a lack of effort on several plays against Philadelphia.
In the third quarter with the Cowboys trailing 24-20, Pickens also had a classic Pickens play by clotheslining Reed Blankenship during a run play in the red zone. Pickens was penalized for unnecessary roughness. Four plays later, running back Miles Sanders fumbled and Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell recovered the loose ball.
During a recent interview with Jane Slater of NFL Network, Pickens weighed in on why leaving Pittsburgh was the best thing for him.
“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.”
Since being traded to the Cowboys in May, Pickens has voiced a slew of passive aggressive comments directed at his former team.
Pickens’ talent has never been in question. The Georgia product consistently showed big-play ability in Pittsburgh, turning in highlight-reel catches and demonstrating the skillset of a top-tier boundary receiver. But his sideline behavior and perceived immaturity reportedly created tension within the organization, contributing to the Steelers’ decision to move on.
The offense was a mess during Pickens’ time with the Steelers, but he also contributed to the dysfunction.
In 2023, Pickens was fined over $200,000 between the NFL and the Steelers for incidents, including reported serial tardiness to team practices and meetings.
In 2024, he received over $80,000 in fines from the NFL for his on-field behavior, including unnecessary roughness, unsportsmanlike conduct, two fights after the end of a loss, a profane message on his eye black and got into a sideline spat with fans. He also was late on multiple occasions in 2024.
Pickens is at the honeymoon phase with the Cowboys right now. But if he continues to receive limited targets, it wouldn’t be surprising if he has some crash out moments.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: George Pickens Left a Lot to Be Desired in Cowboys Debut
