In 2025, wide receiver George Pickens is thriving in Dallas and doing so with a point to prove. Acquired by the Cowboys in what many now consider a lopsided trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers, a 2026 third-round pick and a late-round swap in 2027, Pickens has quickly become one of the league’s top playmakers.
Through the first half of the season, he leads the NFL in touchdown catches and is on pace to shatter his personal bests in both receptions and receiving yards.
But beyond the stat sheet, Pickens is chasing something deeper: redemption.
During his time in Pittsburgh, his reputation took repeated hits. Though he posted impressive numbers, more than 2,000 yards across his first two seasons, the headlines were often about his behavior, not his performance.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin publicly stated in late 2024, “He’s just gotta grow up,” framing Pickens as a maturity risk. That perception stuck, and when he was traded to Dallas, some within the Steelers organization seemed eager to reinforce it.
Shortly after the deal, Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly shared pointed comments attributed to anonymous team sources, claiming Pickens had become a problem in the locker room.
“Significant locker room guys got fed up with Pickens‘ antics,” Kaboly wrote. “Some felt it would be counterproductive to keep him around… they felt the locker room could turn toxic.”
Pickens has since responded, not through words alone, but through leadership and performance on the field, and personality off of it.
A new culture, a new George
Now with the Cowboys, Pickens insists that the version of him fans are seeing is the same one that’s always been there, just no longer hidden behind damaging narratives.
“It wasn’t really hard to ignore [the rumors] because I knew who I was,” he said recently. “I’m the person everybody’s seeing now.”
Dallas coaches and players have echoed that sentiment. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer recently called Pickens one of the most fun personalities in the building. According to Pickens, he keeps the mood light in the locker room with humor, jokes, and even a collection of unique handshakes he shares with teammates.
“I’m super-funny,” Pickens said. “I just like to make people laugh. That’s who I’ve always been.”
He also hinted that much of the criticism in Pittsburgh was exaggerated or came from people who never really got to know him. “I can’t record myself,” he joked. “People can put stuff out there to tarnish your image, but I always felt like I was having fun.”
Now, with a fresh start in Dallas, Pickens is focused on staying grounded, staying productive and most importantly, staying true to who he is.
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