The George Pickens trade is roughly 48 hours in the rearview mirror, and takes have come hard and fast: from slam-dunk, to head scratcher, to “this will definitely blow up in their face.” Only time (and performance on the field) will tell who is right. Still, Pickens is a Dallas Cowboy, and he is saying all the right things.
In a Thursday afternoon conference call with reporters, Pickens touched on his departure from Pittsburgh, culture, the fit with Dallas and his new teammates, and a range of other topics.
George Pickens Is In A New City, New Offense, And With A Lot To Prove
Pittsburgh Dumps Pickens: Sour Grapes Or Something More?
The Pittsburgh Steelers are famous for getting the most out of mercurial players, Antonio Brown being the most notable example, Diontae Johnson the most recent. Guys leave, and folks realize just how good a job the Steelers did keeping them on track.
Let’s not sugarcoat it—Pittsburgh wanted Pickens gone. According to reports, the Steelers had been shopping him for weeks, with little interest. Despite his immense talent, they were ready to move on. That doesn’t happen unless something deeper is going on.
What gives? Was it effort? Attitude? Accountability? All of the above? Only the Steelers can truly answer that, but it’s clear they’d had enough. Pickens drew public criticism from Mike Tomlin and was benched at times throughout the 2024 season. Tomlin didn’t mince words, saying Pickens “just [has] to grow up man”—a line that carries weight coming from one of the league’s most respected coaches.
For the trade optimist, it’s easy to spin this as sour grapes. Pickens is emotional, demonstrative, hyper-competitive, and unapologetically himself. But it’s also fair to say that Pittsburgh—a franchise built on consistency and a no-nonsense culture—had seen enough.
Now, it’s Dallas’ turn. If the Cowboys can get the best version of Pickens, they may have struck gold. But make no mistake—they know they’re inheriting a volatile asset.
Pickens Is Buying Into Cowboys Culture
“I’m trying to build a winning culture, which they already have with the Cowboys,” Pickens said. “I’m just glad to be joining it.” Pickens’ first comments as a Cowboy suggest he’s genuinely excited about the environment he’s stepping into. “I feel great,” he said. “I like the mojo here. I like the swag. I feel like they have a great thing going for sure.” It’s easy to discount this as a throwaway quote, but Dallas is a very different organization from Pittsburgh.
Pickens will be playing for a franchise owned by Jerry Jones. Jerry Jones is not the Rooney family. The Cowboys lean into their stars and market their personalities. And Pickens has a personality fit for the Dallas Cowboys.
For a guy like him, that matters.
In Pittsburgh, the leash was tight. Public displays of sideline frustration were met with side-eyes. In Dallas, that edge will be more tolerated. Especially if he’s producing. The Cowboys have long embraced emotional, dynamic players: Michael Irvin, Charles Haley, Deion Sanders, Dez Bryant. Three of those guys became Hall of Famers—Pickens isn’t on that trajectory. But the blueprint is there.
Pickens Is In The Best Situation Of His Career
Pickens and CeeDee Lamb have a relationship, often working out together during the offseason. Now, they’ll get a chance to share the field as teammates, and he knows they can mesh and have a mutually beneficial partnership. “CeeDee is a super dynamic receiver,” he said. “I just feel like schematically you won’t be able to double everybody, so that’ll be a great thing for me and him.”
From a football standpoint, they’re a perfect stylistic pairing. Lamb is lethal in the slot, working the middle of the field and creating plays after the catch. Pickens threatens vertically and outside the numbers, thriving in contested catch situations. Lamb played outside more than Dallas would’ve liked last season. Now, with a true X on the roster, the Cowboys can stretch the field and create real matchup problems for opposing defenses.
Then there’s the quarterback. Pickens has never played with anyone like Dak Prescott. Say what you want about him, but Dak is a really, really good quarterback. In Pittsburgh, Pickens had to catch passes from Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, Justin Fields, and a well-past-his-expiration-date Russell Wilson. Prescott is a significant upgrade, and Pickens knows it. “[He’s a] very prolific QB, and smart, at that,” he said. “I’m grateful to play with Dak.”
Building early trust between these two will be important. Prescott is generally viewed as a quarterback who thrives more in structure than playing playground ball. However, Prescott has played with a version of Pickens before—Michael Gallup was a similar downfield, contested-catch threat and was one of Dak’s most trusted targets before a knee injury derailed his career.
This pairing could absolutely work. It could even be deadly.
Growth And Maturity: Pickens Is Getting A Fresh Start
Asked why it didn’t work in Pittsburgh, Pickens kept it short. “This game is just as much a business as it is football,” he said. “It’s kinda like, out of my control. I’m glad to be here in Dallas…” Not exactly owning any of his missteps, but not burning bridges either.
He struck a similarly measured tone when asked about the red flags that have followed him. “I’m going to take it one day at a time. Everybody in the world is working on growing and bettering themselves. I feel like growth is me moving in a great direction and coming to the Cowboys…Working every day.” No forced humility, no proclamations. Just a player who sounds self-aware of the narrative surrounding him, and ready to move forward.
Dallas doesn’t need Pickens to be a Boy Scout. In fact, they’d prefer he be a dawg. They just need him to be coachable, available, and more emotionally level. As for the Cowboys, what’s the point of having all the leadership and culture if not to bring in a guy like Pickens and get the best out of him? If he brings the fire on Sundays and produces at the level they know he can, this will work.
The best version of Pickens doesn’t require a personality overhaul. Just a little maturity, and the right environment to grow into it.
This Is The Version Of Pickens Dallas Needs
The George Pickens we heard for 12 minutes on Thursday wasn’t combative. He wasn’t playing the victim or trying to reinvent himself. He sounded like a guy who knows what’s being said about him and is ready for a fresh start.
That’s the version Dallas needs. Not a sanitized, watered-down version. Just a focused and motivated Pickens who wants to win football games. “I’m worried about coming here and trying to help build a winning culture,” he said. “Me winning a championship at Georgia—I definitely know how to win.”
The questions are real, and it’s possible this whole thing becomes a spectacular disaster. However, let’s be crystal clear about what Pickens is not—a spousal abuser, drug user, or a criminal. He’s a highly emotional hyper-competitor who wants to win. And sometimes that results in some untimely 15-yard penalties.
But Dallas can work with that. And if the team is winning? Nobody will care how things ended in Pittsburgh.
Main Image: Geoff Burke – USA Today Sports
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