In time George Pickens will have ample chances to make a lasting impression on the Cowboys organization and its fans, but so far, so good.
On Thursday, a day after he was acquired from Pittsburgh, 24-year-old receiver Pickens seemed to hit all the right notes during an admittedly brief 12-minute conference call with reporters who cover the Cowboys.
Pickens did not hesitate when asked about Steelers coach Mike Tomlin’s comments late last season that he needs to grow up.
“Just taking it one day at a time,” he said. “I feel like everybody in the world is working on growing or bettering themself. I feel like growth for me is taking a great direction in me coming to the Cowboys.”
There’s no question the 6-3, 200-pound Alabama native is a talent upgrade and defense-stretching complement to fellow receiver CeeDee Lamb, but Pickens’ mercurial reputation doesn’t stem from catching 174 passes for 2,841 yards and 12 touchdowns in three NFL seasons.
It comes from occasional sideline tantrums, untimely unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and reported “multiple” instances of tardiness.
“I can’t really change anyone’s opinion, me personally,” he said. “I just continue to grow. I feel like everybody in the world has to grow. You get older and older as you grow. I’m just trying to build a winning culture – which they already have at the Cowboys; I’m just glad to be joining.”
Pickens did, after all, catch a key 52-yard pass to help Georgia beat Alabama in the 2022 College Football Playoff title game, after missing most of the season with a torn ACL.
He also has played in the last two NFL postseasons, catching a combined 10 passes in two games and scoring a touchdown.
His answers Thursday weren’t expansive, but he expressed excitement about being a Cowboy and touched on topics of importance.
Namely, feelings about playing with quarterback Dak Prescott; how being paired with Lamb will help both players; entering the last year of his rookie contract; and his unceremonious Steelers exit.
The trade: Pickens said he was surprised, learning at roughly the same time as the public that he’d been dealt with the Steelers’ 2027 sixth-round draft pick for the Cowboys’ 2026 third-round selection and 2027 fifth-round pick.
He said it reminded him of when he got picked in the second round, No. 52 overall, in the 2022 draft and his surprised reaction of falling that far – watching at home, wearing a white T-shirt – became a meme.
“I feel great,” he said. “I like the swag. It’s a lot of new players that I’ve been meeting . . . I feel like they’ve got a great thing going, for sure.”
He said he had not yet spoken to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones but has spoken to several Cowboys coaches, including first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
“Just building a winning culture,” he said. “That’s what the conversations were about.”
Playing with Prescott: In three seasons as a Steeler, Pickens caught passes from five different starting quarterbacks.
In his first two seasons, Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph started. Last season alone, Russell Wilson started 11 games; Justin Fields six.
Now he’ll be catching passes from 31-year-old Prescott, the NFL’s highest-paid player. After the trade, Prescott was among the first Cowboys with whom Pickens spoke.
“Watching his game over the years, he’s a very prolific QB — and a smart QB, at that,” Pickens said. “I’m just glad to be working with him.”
Lamb: Pickens described Lamb as a dynamic receiver and person, adding that he and Lamb on occasion have trained together.
Pickens said he has given no thought about whether he’ll primarily play as an outside receiver or sometimes play in the slot. He said it’s also immaterial whether he’s labeled a No. 2 receiver to Lamb’s No. 1.
Last season, despite missing three games, Pickens led the Steelers in targets (103) and was second in receptions behind tight end Pat Freiermuth’s 65.
“On the outside, you guys make it a 1A and 1B and all this,” Pickens said. “Honestly, that’s the first time I heard any of that stuff.
“I felt like two receivers are kind of normal. When I used to watch football, there was always a good receiver and there was always another good receiver on the other side of him. I just feel like we’re going to work off each other very well.”
The bottom line of getting to play with Lamb, Pickens said, is “schematically, you won’t be able to double everybody. So that’ll be a great thing for me. And him.”
His contract: Pickens is entering the final season of his four-year rookie deal, leading to speculation that the Steelers traded him because they have no interest in signing him to a lucrative extension.
All indications are that the Cowboys will not sign him to an extension, but, rather, wait and see how this season goes.
“I’m kind of where my feet are right now,” he said. “To be honest, I’m not really thinking about contracts. I’m just glad to be here at Cowboys right now and trying to build a winning culture.”
The Steelers: Pickens was asked multiple times Thursday about his sudden departure, whether he asked for a trade (he said no) and whether he wishes he had done things differently as a Steeler.
“I’m more of like, ‘Where I’m at right now; where my feet are at,’ ” he said. “I can’t even really think about the past. I’m just glad to be a Cowboy.”
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