A Star in Dallas
As football season ends, we now turn to the off-season, where teams will be looking to improve their rosters by free agency, trades and college talent. One of the most popular and desired players in the NFL is wide receiver George Pickens. Pickens played for the Dallas Cowboys last season, after being traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a third-round and fifth-round pick. Pickens soared in his first year in Dallas, and all of Cowboys nation is hoping for his return, not just next year, but long-term.
George Pickens was drafted 52nd in the 2022 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pickens was a national champion coming out of college, winning with the Georgia Bulldogs. Pickens was well known for his impressive height, speed, route running and catch radius. He was considered a complete wide receiver, and with the right quarterback could be one of the top receivers in the league. In that same draft, the Steelers drafted Kenny Pickett, the quarterback out of the University of Pittsburgh. Pickett was projected to be the next franchise quarterback after the legendary Ben Roethlisberger retired the year prior. Pickens and Pickett were destined to become the iconic duo of the Steelers, harkening back to the days of Roethlisberger and wide receiver Antonio Brown.
Pickens’ first season with the Steelers was underwhelming to say the least; he recorded 52 catches, 801 receiving yards and only 4 touchdowns. Most looked at Pickett as the cause for Pickens’ unproductive rookie season. Regardless, Steelers fans looked towards the future and were excited to see what this duo could accomplish. Pickens achieved a seasonal mark, recording his first ever 1,000 yard season, bringing in 63 catches and 5 touchdowns. People saw the immediate rise of Pickens and believed he was on the path to be a star receiver in the league, if he could work with the right quarterback.
In Pickens’ last season with Pittsburgh, multiple quarterbacks started, including Justin Fields and Russel Wilson. With Wilson being the primary quarterback, Pickens recorded 59 catches, 900 yards and 3 touchdowns. At this point in his early career, Pickens obtained the image of being a toxic teammate, not appropriately engaging with teammates, coaching staff and the media. Pickens began creating a bad image for himself in the NFL. Some believed it was because he was frustrated with the lack of production and the lack of success in Pittsburgh. It was clear that Pickens and Pittsburgh were no longer a match, and Pickens needed to find a new home.
On May 7, 2025 George Pickens was traded to the Dallas Cowboys. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott obtained another weapon in his arsenal, wide receiver Ceedee Lamb received another star teammate and new best friend in the wide receiver room and the Cowboys offense looked scarier than ever. As happy as Cowboy fans were about receiving the young receiver, many were concerned about his mentality and how he would interact with the rest of the locker room. In his first year as head coach of the Cowboys, Brian Schottenheimer’s task now became being able to feed the ball to both his star receivers.
Early on, Pickens showed a new version of himself to his team and the media. He seemed calm, happy and energetic to be a part of America’s Team. He worked well with Ceedee Lamb in training camp, and early on became a favorite for Prescott. Although Pickens did not play in the preseason, the anticipation grew larger for his first appearance in the blue and silver. Pickens began the season quiet, recording minimal touches in the first game against the Philadelphia Eagles, and then recording his first touchdown the following week against the New York Giants.
In week three against the Chicago Bears, Ceedee Lamb went out early in the first quarter with an ankle injury, leaving George Pickens as the only star receiver for Dallas. This did not phase the offense or Pickens. Instead, he rose to the occasion, and had an impressive stretch without Ceedee Lamb, recording at least 100 yards in each game, one touchdown per game and established himself early on as a star. Ceedee Lamb returned a month later against the Washington Commanders and the offense soared. Coach Schottenheimer was able to spread the ball to his various weapons, which also included tight end Jake Ferguson, and running back Javonte Williams.
Regardless of this impressive display by the Cowboys offense, they missed the playoffs for a second year in a row. All eyes were pointed at the poor display by the Cowboys defense, and believed that with some improvements, this team can be Super Bowl caliber. In his first year with Dallas, Pickens recorded 93 catches, 1,429 yards and 9 touchdowns. These were all career highs for Pickens, while obtaining his first Pro Bowl selection.
Going into the offseason, there is a lot of speculation as to where Pickens will land long-term. The Cowboys are determined to keep him for the foreseeable future, and the locker room agrees. Prescott has spoken publicly that he is willing to be a part of the negotiation process and make sure a deal is completed. Lamb has spoken about deferring some of his money towards a deal with Pickens, and several other teammates have spoken about Pickens and his importance to the team.