During the 2025 offseason, the Dallas Cowboys made a deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, acquiring wide receiver George Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. While the wideout had failed to mesh with the Steelers’ offense, there was no denying his talent, and with the Cowboys needing a second man to Ceedee Lamb, they pulled the trigger.
The move has paid off, as Pickens has filled his role perfectly, helping to alleviate some pressure from Lamb while dominating opposing defenses, even as Lamb missed a few games this season. After an impressive start to the season, Pickens has gotten off to a slow start on Monday Night Football against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9.
What Happened to Dallas Cowboys WR George Pickens?
No, Pickens is not injured; in fact, he’s been one of the most reliable options for quarterback Dak Prescott and Dallas’ offense this season. Pickens has been a game-changer for the Cowboys’ offense through eight games this season. He’s caught 43 of 63 targets for 685 yards and six touchdowns, with a few of those games without Lamb due to a high ankle sprain.
However, outside of a nice 16-yard completion on second and ten to move the sticks on the Cowboys’ opening drive in Week 9, Pickens has been relatively silent against Arizona on Monday Night Football, as has the whole offense. He’s caught two of four targets for 28 yards. Not a great night, but unfortunately for the Cowboys, he leads all receivers in the first half.
movin’ the sticks ➡️
📺: #AZvsDAL on ESPN
📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/RmDxAeDdUk pic.twitter.com/t79cCnwyJ3— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 4, 2025
The Cowboys will need to come out swinging in the second half, facing a 17-7 deficit through two quarters and the Cardinals receiving the second half kickoff. After blocking an Arizona punt and recovering it in the end zone to cut the lead to 10-7, the Cardinals drove right back down the field, scoring a touchdown to regain their ten-point lead.
Based on PFSN’s WR Impact metric, Pickens has been the fifth-best receiver in the league this season.
The Cowboys were able to get to the outskirts of Brandon Aubrey’s range on the ensuing drive, but the kicker would miss his attempt to tie Cam Little’s brand new NFL record of a 68-yard field goal. Dallas will hope that the offense can wake up in the second half after failing to score any points in the first. That’s going to take some contributions from their offensive stars like Pickens and Lamb to get things going.