George Pickens Is Lighting Up the Stat Sheet-but Questions About Effort Resurface in Cowboys’ Loss
George Pickens has been nothing short of electric in his first season with the Dallas Cowboys. Statistically, he's playing like one of the league’s elite receivers-second in the NFL in receiving yards, tied for third in touchdown catches.
On paper, it’s the kind of season that earns Pro Bowl nods and All-Pro consideration. But Thursday night’s 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions brought something else into focus: the same concerns that followed Pickens out of Pittsburgh may be resurfacing in Dallas.
Pickens' production this season has been undeniable. He’s been a go-to weapon in the Cowboys’ offense, offering a mix of explosive playmaking and highlight-reel catches.
But against the Lions, his effort-or lack thereof-became a major talking point. On multiple plays, Pickens appeared disengaged.
There were moments where he jogged through routes, didn’t sell his patterns, and most notably, failed to lay out for a late deep ball that could’ve changed the game’s complexion. It wasn’t just one play-it was a pattern, and it didn’t go unnoticed.
Former All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman had strong words for Pickens during the postgame broadcast on Prime Video.
“George Pickens throughout the game-especially late-just looked uninterested,” Sherman said. “Uninterested in playing football. And that’s what you can’t have if you’re gonna be a superstar.”
That critique didn’t sit well with Pickens, who fired back on Instagram. In a now-viral story post, he pushed back against being singled out, emphasizing that football is a team game and taking a direct shot at Sherman in the process.
“This is a team game lmao I'm not the only one on the team,” Pickens wrote. “Stop becoming a analyst and talking about one player when he playin a teams game.
Lots of [stuff] has to go right for Explosive. Plays... and it's funny cause I thought former players would know that such as RICHARD P- A- SHERMAN WHO [BY THE WAY] AIN'T [S-] WITHOUT THE LEGION OF BOOM WE ALL REMEMBER SAN FRANCISCO BROTHER.”
It’s the kind of response that echoes his time in Pittsburgh, where flashes of brilliance were often overshadowed by frustration-both from coaches and fans. Pickens’ tenure with the Steelers was marked by sideline outbursts, cryptic social media activity, and stretches of visible disengagement when the ball wasn’t coming his way. Despite his undeniable talent, the Steelers ultimately decided they’d had enough, trading him to Dallas in May.
Now, with the Cowboys sitting at 6-6-1 and their playoff hopes hanging by a thread, the question isn't whether Pickens can play-he clearly can. The question is whether he can stay locked in when things aren’t going his way.
The best receivers in the league-think Justin Jefferson, Davante Adams, or even CeeDee Lamb-don’t just show up when the ball’s in their hands. They block, they run decoy routes, they stay engaged.
That’s what elevates talent into greatness.
Pickens has all the tools. He’s big, fast, physical, and has a knack for making contested catches look routine. But effort isn’t a stat you can measure-it’s something you see on tape, and Thursday night’s tape raised some red flags.
The Cowboys took a calculated risk when they brought Pickens in. They knew they were getting a dynamic playmaker, but they also knew they were inheriting the emotional rollercoaster that comes with him. And while the highs have been spectacular, the lows-like Thursday night-are what make teams think twice.
If Dallas is going to make a late push toward the postseason, they’ll need Pickens locked in, not lashing out. Because when he’s fully engaged, he’s a nightmare for opposing secondaries. But when he checks out, it shows-and it costs his team.