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George Pickens is having a career renaissance in Dallas. After being traded by the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Cowboys, there were relatively low expectations for the second-round WR. While there was no doubt about his talent, many expected Pickens to just be the WR2 behind CeeDee Lamb. There was also a ton of concern that Pickens’ abrasive attitude would hurt the Cowboys’ locker room.
Well, 13 weeks into the season, and Pickens has completely flipped the script. For one, Pickens has firmly planted himself as the WR1B to Lamb’s WR1A this season. He’s exceeded all expectations for his performance on the field. The Cowboys wide receiver has also stayed away from bad headlines this season, not getting in trouble as he did with the Steelers.
What caused this change for Pickens? Well, Todd Archer and Jeremy Fowler have an explanation based on their anonymous sources. The ESPN reporters’ sources cite Dak Prescott’s leadership and presence as a key reason why Pickens has played so well and has stayed out of trouble.
“That’s where a lot of the issues from Pittsburgh stem from,” a player source said, per ESPN. “He didn’t have stability at quarterback.”
Another source from the Steelers added, “The stuff he couldn’t control, he had a hard time dealing with — and a quarterback’s play is not in his control. I think the quarterback issues [in Pittsburgh] played a part in his frustrations.”
“[Dak] has a unique way of knowing when to keep a guy accountable and knowing when to pull off, so when Dak speaks, George will listen,” one of Archer and Fowler’s sources from the Cowboys said.
Through 12 games this season, Pickens has already had a career-best 1,142 yards on 73 catches and eight touchdowns. Part of his production came during a stretch where Lamb missed time due to an injury. Even with Lamb back for the last few games, Pickens continues to be a dominant threat for the Cowboys. Against the Chiefs on Thanksgiving, Pickens caught six passes for 88 yards.
Perhaps more importantly, Pickens has avoided getting in trouble for petty problems. Back when he was with the Steelers, Pickens gained a reputation as a player who’d cause trouble at inopportune times. Whether it’s picking fights with opposing DBs during a possession or the usual diva stuff, the wide receiver seemed to be a magnet for bad headlines. With the Cowboys, Pickens has generally stayed away from controversial stuff.
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