George Pickens is like the ex that keeps talking or posting on social media after a breakup. No matter what’s going on with his team, the Dallas Cowboys, or his old team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, he can never pass up the opportunity to stick it to his prior relationship.
That same thing happened after Pickens made his first TD catch in the Cowboys’ win over the Giants on Sunday. He made sure to mention that his new team and quarterback is just so much better than what he dealt with in Pittsburgh…
“The last place I was at, just coming in with a group of guys who was good guys but were all rookies, got a rookie QB, so I couldn’t really thrive and show the world the potential I have,” said Pickens in reference to Pittsburgh and Kenny Pickett. “I had to wait a few years, and then it eventually showed. I get to the Cowboys, and then today I get to show it again, and we win.”
“As a football player, Pickens has been everything the Cowboys wanted him to be. On Sunday’s win over the Giants, Pickens repeatedly won in isolated situations, including a crunch-time touchdown to put the Cowboys ahead with under a minute to go in the fourth quarter. On top of 68 receiving yards, he drew two pass interference calls good for a combined 45 yards.”
“Where Pickens has been a surprise is as a leader. Perhaps the behavior from his days as a Steeler will show when he goes an extended time without targets. But so far, he’s bought in. He didn’t complain about low targets in Week 1 and said he was focused on getting the first win. And in a tough, long game in Week 2? I’ll let Cowboys left guard Tyler Smith say it:
“I think George had a huge game today, and I know people only see the highlights, but you heard what he was saying in the huddle, I think that really just speaks to who he is as a man,” Smith told reporters. “He was like, ‘Y’all just keep going, you got to keep going till you make it home. Like, keep going.’ When the score wasn’t going our way, when we [were not] moving the ball the way we were supposed to, he was pushing us to keep going every single play.”
– Mauricio Rodriguez, A to Z Sports Dallas
Sometimes a change of scenery is good for a player. Especially a player who needs to grow up and develop as a human. So maybe Pickens is taking that next step, even if it feels like he still has a sour taste in his mouth with the Steelers.
