FRISCO, Texas — When the Dallas Cowboys traded for explosive wide receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers in May, his stock was at an all-time low.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told him to “grow up” after he was flagged for two personal-foul penalties in the middle of the 2024 season. Pittsburgh signed four-time NFL MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers and traded for Pro Bowl wide receiver DK Metcalf to bolster its offense, but it would’ve made sense to pair Pickens with those two high-end talents.
Instead, the Steelers decided to ditch the 24-year-old receiver — the only player in the NFL with at least 150 catches (206) who averages at least 16 yards per reception (16.3) since he was drafted in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The price for Dallas to acquire Pickens was just a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder in exchange for the electrifying receiver and a 2027 sixth-round pick.
Pickens rebuilding his image in Dallas
Fast forward to Week 7 this season, and the Cowboys are overjoyed with Pickens both on and off the field. On the field, his production is among the best in the league: Pickens’ six receiving touchdowns are tied with Detroit Lions All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown for the most in the NFL, and his 525 receiving yards rank third. That’s one reason team owner and general manager Jerry Jones is weighing the idea of carving out salary-cap space to extend Pickens, an impending free agent, next offseason.
“He is doing more than we could have expected,” Jones said. “We knew full well that if things really went like we wanted them to go, certainly, we need to think about having some room available if we’re going to pay a second receiver at that level.”
Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper is usually top of mind when people think about Dallas acquiring a receiver who made an instant impact. Cooper’s addition in the middle of the 2018 season powered Dallas to a 7-2 finish, ending the regular season 10-6 and atop the NFC East. Pickens’ statistical output mirrors Cooper’s early on. Pickens is tied for the most receiving touchdowns (six) in a player’s first six games with the Cowboys since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger, according to CBS Sports Research.
Would Pickens be open to re-signing with the Cowboys on a long-term deal, similar to Cooper’s five-year, $100 million extension in 2020? He’s open to it.
“I wouldn’t mind it. The guys in the locker room are super cool, the energy is great,” Pickens said Wednesday. “I always want to showcase my talents.”
However, he said his long-term future isn’t top of mind six weeks into the season. He’s focused on getting the Cowboys back into the playoff mix after a 2-3-1 start in which Dallas has the No. 1 total offense (387.5 yards per game) and the worst total defense (411.7).
Winning comes before money for Pickens
Quarterback play, winning and money are typically the three biggest factors for a wide receiver when weighing a long-term deal in the NFL. Pickens made it clear which one he values most: winning. His Hoover High School team in Alabama won back-to-back Class 7A state championships in 2016 and 2017, and he helped Georgia capture its first national title since the 1980s during the 2021 college football season, his last as a Bulldog.
Another thing to keep in mind about Pickens’ potential extension with the Cowboys is his representation and relationship with Jones. He’s represented by Athletes First, the same agency that represented former Dallas All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons. However, Jones said during a Cowboys press conference on Aug. 28 — after trading Parsons to the Green Bay Packers — that he didn’t think those negotiations would affect talks with any other Athletes First client.
“He’s definitely a cool guy for me,” Pickens said. “It’s a guy I’ve always watched on TV and stuff like that, but I [would] definitely say he’s a bigger person than everybody else around here. I feel like he has his own life going on as well, too. That’s kind of the part I want to know about Jerry — him outside of football.”
He also feels somewhat of a connection with Jones, given both have been viewed as polarizing figures in football over the past few years. The two talked when Pickens first arrived in Dallas in May, but there hasn’t been much contact since, with the wide receiver focused squarely on football.
“I feel like the media can … definitely tarnish some people or give the wrong image to people,” Pickens said. “I feel like if you sit down and have a conversation with him, lighthearted guy.”
‘What a great teammate’
Pickens was aware of his Steelers reputation as an immature diva. He feels like he’s able to show a more authentic, fun-loving side in Dallas — something Jones, head coach Brian Schottenheimer and teammates agree on.
“It wasn’t really hard to ignore because I knew who I was. I’m the person everybody is seeing now,” Pickens said. “It’s just a thing that you kind of have to go through. I always kind of knew that the people didn’t know me. I never really cared. … I think there’s better opportunities for me to show myself here.”
Jones went out of his way to compliment Pickens on how seamlessly he’s fit into the Cowboys’ coaching staff and locker room.
“What’s really special is he’s a real plus to have around the team. He’s a real plus around his teammates. He’s a great plus around those coaches,” Jones said. “Those coaches really think highly of him, and so he’s not only doing it on the field. He’s doing it as a part of the team concept. That’s very important, and in his particular case, should be noted.”
Inside Pickens’ personality and energy boost
Recently, Pickens — whose nine contested catches in 2025 are tied for the most in the NFL with Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro Ja’Marr Chase, per Pro Football Focus — climbed the ladder to make a one-handed catch in practice. That led to a lighthearted exchange between him and Schottenheimer.
“Literally you guys can see how much he loves playing the game of football. It’s very evident. It doesn’t matter the situation: he just loves playing the game. His personality is truly infectious. We actually sit in meetings a lot and we just laugh about GP and some of the stuff he says on the field.
“Number one: any pass he catches, he practices a celebration, so that’s kind of cool. He’s got a lot of choreographed stuff. Some of the stuff he’ll do; like he caught a ball the other day — it was a one-handed catch and the safety was running over the top. I was asking him about it and said, ‘Hey, man, that was an amazing catch.’ He goes, ‘Yeah, insane, right?’ But he just loves it. What a great teammate, man. Seriously. Great teammate, and we’re so lucky to have him.”
Pickens laughed when recalling that interaction before revealing his thought process on the celebrations.
“I’m super funny. I feel like when you really get to know me, I feel like Schotty really knows me, so that’s one thing he definitely can say about me because I’m a goofy guy that likes to make people laugh for sure,” Pickens said “Just certain jokes and certain little puns for guys. We’re always playing football, so I kind of lighten it up. … I’m an energy guy, so I caught a few go balls today, and I think like ‘if I catch that in a game, then I’m going to do this. Or if I catch a slant and get a first down, I’m going to do this.’ I definitely think about it.”
Another thing Pickens is always thinking about: his handshakes. He has one with about 40 of his new Cowboys teammates.
“Since I was new to the team, that’s kind of something that I wanted to bring to the team, lots of handshakes for the guys. I had a few in Pittsburgh but not as many as I do now.”
Running back Javonte Williams is one of the many who enjoy a custom handshake with the NFL’s co-leader in receiving touchdowns.
“He’s a character. He’s good. He brings a lot of energy and excitement to the team,” Williams said Wednesday. “He’s got a different personality, but I get along with him. I feel like everybody else gets along with him, so you got to keep doing what you’re doing.”
Pickens went viral on social media for his hurdles and stiff arms in his explosion against the Carolina Panthers in Week 6 — a game in which he recorded nine catches for a career-high 168 yards (the second-most in his career) and a touchdown. That’s something he showcases in practice “every day” with Dallas.
“We just see it every day. That’s how he always acts,” Williams said. “So just for the world to see the type of person he really is because it’s easy for people to get you confused and narratives to be made about you. But he’s a good guy. I really want the world to see that.”
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