Cowboys WR George Pickens when asked why he's been so comfortable in Dallas - Machota

[Stash]

No I meant comfortable. For production, his yards per catch average was the same here as it was in Pitt. And in 2023 his 18.1 ypc led the league with Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph throwing him the ball on 106 targets so there was no question he could produce. He just got a little more balls thrown his way here, and probably more accurately (65% catch to target rate with us vs. not breaking 50% in 3 combined years in Pitt).

He was most productive in Dallas.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Fan Myth

Which part…that he spoiled?

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I can guarantee you Big Mike and Rogers wished he played for them right now

They both like dysfunction. Which is crazy because Aaron doesn’t have guys like Pickens at receiver. He’s had some great ones but they were all solid get to work early type guys.

 

[Coogiguy03]

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/...-hot-start-in-camp-channeling-mamba-mentality

 

[big dog cowboy]

"So just one day at a time, and keep getting better every day."

This is a much different and much better version of Pickens than played with the Stealers.

If Stephen can make the money work, I'd like to keep him long term.

 

[DallasEast]

George Pickens is a true #1 NFL wide receiver. In my opinion, the only definitive downside is if his maturity does not rein in any bad penalties that might cost the team games. For me, player penalties fall into three categories:

• Situational - these can be good or bad given any particular situation. For example, it is a good situation if a wide receiver grabs a defender before they catch a sure pick-6 for offensive pass interference. In contrast, it is a bad situation if a wide receiver grabs a defender for simply making their day hell and killing a critical drive as a consequence.
• Dumb - braindead decisions.
• Bad - Idiotic decision-making usually from self-gloating, payback, etc.

Below is a breakdown of Pickens' penalty history. It will be a win-win if his maturity clamps down on the bad penalties especially:

Bad (my examples)

Penalty	2022	2023	2024	2025	Grand Total
Disqualification	1​	0​	0​	0​	1​
Taunting	0​	1​	1​	0​	2​
Unnecessary Roughness	0​	1​	0​	1​	2​
Unsportsmanlike Conduct	0​	0​	1​	2​	3​
Grand Total	1​	2​	2​	3​	8​

Dumb

Penalty	2022	2023	2024	2025	Grand Total
Face Mask	0​	0​	0​	1​	1​
False Start	1​	0​	1​	0​	2​
Illegal Blindside Block	0​	1​	0​	0​	1​
Illegal Shift	0​	1​	0​	0​	1​
Illegal Touch Pass	1​	0​	0​	0​	1​
Offside on Free Kick	1​	0​	0​	0​	1​
Grand Total	3​	2​	1​	1​	7​

Situational

Penalty	2022	2023	2024	2025	Grand Total
Offensive Pass Interference	1​	0​	2​	3​	6​

Sources: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

 

[gtb1943]

George Pickens is a true #1 NFL wide receiver. In my opinion, the only definitive downside is if his maturity does not rein in any bad penalties that might cost the team games. For me, player penalties fall into three categories:

• Situational - these can be good or bad given any particular situation. For example, it is a good situation if a wide receiver grabs a defender before they catch a sure pick-6 for offensive pass interference. In contrast, it is a bad situation if a wide receiver grabs a defender for simply making their day hell and killing a critical drive as a consequence.
• Dumb - braindead decisions.
• Bad - Idiotic decision-making usually from self-gloating, payback, etc.

Below is a breakdown of Pickens' penalty history. It will be a win-win if his maturity clamps down on the bad penalties especially:

Bad (my examples)

Penalty	2022	2023	2024	2025	Grand Total
Disqualification	1​	0​	0​	0​	1​
Taunting	0​	1​	1​	0​	2​
Unnecessary Roughness	0​	1​	0​	1​	2​
Unsportsmanlike Conduct	0​	0​	1​	2​	3​
Grand Total	1​	2​	2​	3​	8​

Dumb

Penalty	2022	2023	2024	2025	Grand Total
Face Mask	0​	0​	0​	1​	1​
False Start	1​	0​	1​	0​	2​
Illegal Blindside Block	0​	1​	0​	0​	1​
Illegal Shift	0​	1​	0​	0​	1​
Illegal Touch Pass	1​	0​	0​	0​	1​
Offside on Free Kick	1​	0​	0​	0​	1​
Grand Total	3​	2​	1​	1​	7​

Situational

Penalty	2022	2023	2024	2025	Grand Total
Offensive Pass Interference	1​	0​	2​	3​	6​

Sources: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

I would argue on some of those calls from last year.

 

[TwentyOne]

On his maturity: “Definitely. The older you get, you definitely get mature.”

He talks so high about all the people at valley ranch. Then cant help himself but has to throw a punch at our goldfinger and his two fireballs.

 

[AsthmaField]

All I know is that about age 25’ish I matured a ton and my thought process changed to being more normal

I was basically insane in my late teens/early twenties. Dumb stuff was on the menu.

I have no doubt that Pickens has matured a lot just in the last couple of years. We all do. I think that has probably been the biggest factor for him.

 

[erod]

The Steelers didn't like it when he was constantly late for meetings and practice. Neither did Georgia.

The Cowboys don't really care.

He left that part out.

The Steelers also wanted him to be more versatile in the slot. But he doesn't play that

And there better not be the on-field behavior issues we saw in games. That crap loses games.

 

[Kwyn]

Basically he likes Jerry atmosphere and not a stern atmosphere that holds players accountable for when they screw up.

Here’s what their WR1 said last week about what it was like under Tomlin and what it’s like now

The Steelers went into game days last year running routes and plays they genuinely disliked. He emphasized that the shift to Mike McCarthy's new staff brings an "open form of communication," meaning the offense no longer feels like it is "walking on eggshells" before taking the field



Your feelings about this team don’t have anything to do with Pittsburgh

 

[Kwyn]

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/...-hot-start-in-camp-channeling-mamba-mentality

I will add this, no need for a new thread. As this pertains to the same topic.

Good link. Here’s a bit from it

"I kind of always take it one day at a time, and I [help] a lot of other guys who think they're not having such a good day. But for me, personally, anytime I can be really around the guys or the team, I feel like I'm having a good day — whether I catch 100 balls or if I catch none."

It's super good," he said of the post-practice run drills. "I did that when I played at the University of Georgia too, and we also won a championship as well there — back to back years. I feel like when you're running, it's probably painful because you just did a whole practice, but conditioning is another component of the game that can definitely give you an edge."

"So just one day at a time, and keep getting better every day."

 

[Kwyn]

The Steelers also wanted him to be more versatile in the slot. But he doesn't play that

This part is flat out wrong.

With Arthur Smith he ran 25% of his snaps from the slot and simply didn’t know what to do with Pickens

He had bad rap in both Pittsburgh and Atlanta for failing Pickens as well as Drake London.

As to the slot here, Lamb for 25% of his snaps in the slot and Fluornoy 18%

Schottenheimer has said that he didn’t realist how dynamic Pickens was and jsut lined him up at x and y. He said he’s going to get slot work this year.

 

[MarcusRock]

He was most productive in Dallas.

Lol. I showed you his production. It was no more remarkable here than in Pittsburgh besides his catch to target percentage. He got thrown a few more balls here but his targets would have been roughly the same and his yards per catch the same if Lamb doesn't get hurt.

Again, he had 18.1 ypc to lead the league with Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. Nothing was more productive than that. Looks as though he got more accurate balls thrown his way here but still maintained the ypc he had with Pittsburgh already. Not more. The same.

 

[Kwyn]

Lol. I showed you his production. It was no more remarkable here than in Pittsburgh besides his catch to target percentage. He got thrown a few more balls here but his targets would have been roughly the same and his yards per catch the same if Lamb doesn't get hurt.

Again, he had 18.1 ypc to lead the league with Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. Nothing was more productive than that. Looks as though he got more accurate balls thrown his way here but still maintained the ypc he had with Pittsburgh already. Not more. The same.

You are cherry picking a single stat and minimizing the rest

Here is a mix of some advance metrics as well as some common sense .

30 more catches white maintaining elite YPC is extremely hard to do. It speaks to the volume of his explosive plays.

If a player gives you 30 plays at 15 ypc, that is fundamentally different in a season to season comparison.

Obviously touchdowns were a big change. He almost doubled TDs and in 2025 they were an average of 23 ypc. That’s explosion.

In 2025, he averaged three first downs per game that were over 15 yards each. 78% of his total catches resulted in a first down. He moved the chains

He also had 73 first downs compared to 41 in 2023. That’s true WR1 work

In 2023 he didn’t draw the top defenders. Diontae Johnson was their WR1. He got single coverage most of the year. That’s part of why he had such high YPC

When CeeDee Lamb went down, teams shifted 100% of their game plan to GP and he shook them so much that they continued to actively scheme against him.

In Pittsburgh he went to town because he was ignored. In Dallas he forced his dominance despite being a defensive focus.

 

[Havic]

Matt Canada was a terrible OC and Tomlin kept him around.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Here’s what their WR1 said last week about what it was like under Tomlin and what it’s like now

The Steelers went into game days last year running routes and plays they genuinely disliked. He emphasized that the shift to Mike McCarthy's new staff brings an "open form of communication," meaning the offense no longer feels like it is "walking on eggshells" before taking the field



Your feelings about this team don’t have anything to do with Pittsburgh

What does this have to do with Dallas

 

[shabazz]

Shots fired at Steelers coaches.

It's also an interesting look at how different players respond to different coaching stimuli. You also have to consider what's at stake for Pickens in this current timing so you can't take this snapshot at face value only. But so far, so good and I hope we can find a way to keep him.

Shots fired at an aging coach thinking about retirement

Shots fired at offensive play callers who hate the modern passing game and run a power running from the 1990’s.

Shots fired at backup or has been level QBs.

Shots fired at an organization stealing years from his career.

100%

Cowboys straight up stole him from the Stealers.

All of these posts are fairly accurate at this point and we saw Pick perform nicely in his contract year, however although these all may be valid on August 9 2026, I wonder how the final chapter will be written?

Is the maturity real or is the Weasel about to go pop at some point?

Either the Steelers know something or they have become completely inept and that includes the sacred cow known as Mike Tomlin.

 

[Stash]

Lol.

Lol all you want, it doesn’t change the facts.

Did you stomp your feet too?

I showed you his production. It was no more remarkable here than in Pittsburgh besides his catch to target percentage. He got thrown a few more balls here but his targets would have been roughly the same and his yards per catch the same if Lamb doesn't get hurt.

Again, he had 18.1 ypc to lead the league with Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. Nothing was more productive than that. Looks as though he got more accurate balls thrown his way here but still maintained the ypc he had with Pittsburgh already. Not more. The same.

You can make up whatever nonsense you want, it doesn’t change the facts.

 

[Proof]

Word has it that some league insiders laughed at the Cowboys for trade 3rd round pick for him. LOL...... who's laughing now

Love his response regarding maturity......

i mean i’m happy he’s apparently maturing but loving that response is funny.