George Pickens has been impressive since arriving in Dallas, but old habits die hard, and the issues that led to his departure from Pittsburgh may be resurfacing. Pickens turned in a rough performance on Thursday Night Football against the Detroit Lions, and former Super Bowl champion Richard Sherman didn’t hold back, suggesting the receiver’s behavior was borderline unacceptable.
Richard Sherman Blasts George Pickens’ Effort Against Detroit
Pickens saw nine targets in the matchup but managed only five receptions for 37 yards, and he was flagged for multiple penalties that hurt the Cowboys at critical moments. His perceived lack of effort became a major talking point, and even quarterback Dak Prescott appeared visibly frustrated with him late in the game.
After the game, Sherman tore into the fourth-year receiver for not attacking the ball, calling his behavior unacceptable.
“George Pickens, throughout the game, especially late in the game, just looked uninterested in playing football. And that’s what you can’t have. If you’re going to be a superstar, if you want to be the best receiver in the National Football League, you can never be disengaged,” Sherman said.
the story of the game was George Pickens
“uninterested in playing football…
disengaged… disappeared… half-assed it…
unacceptable”
Richard Sherman pulls no punches 😳 pic.twitter.com/87VntE3dIr
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) December 5, 2025
“It doesn’t matter if the game is going your way or not going your way. You can’t just disappear in these games, or else you’re not going to have an impact,” he added.
“And just right here, cruising, cruising routes. You’re the guy. You’re the guy. CeeDee Lamb is not in this game. He’s out. And you get intercepted on your slant routes. And you can’t be the guy and half-a– it. I’m sorry. That’s just unacceptable.”
Veteran sports commentator Skip Bayless didn’t hold back either. “Pickens keeps turning back into Pittsburgh Pick – taking plays off, making big catches, fighting for yards, then not fighting to make catches,” he wrote.
Pickens’ disengaged performance was especially puzzling considering Dallas had already lost star receiver CeeDee Lamb to a concussion. While Pickens’ talent is undeniable, his effort issues, along with previous behavioral concerns and lateness problems that have already resulted in a benching, are putting his long-term NFL outlook at risk.
Statistically, Pickens was one of the league’s top receivers this season heading into the game. Through 13 games, he’s recorded 78 receptions for 1,179 yards and eight touchdowns, leading the Cowboys in all major receiving categories. He also ranks third in PFSN’s WR Impact metric.
The Cowboys’ offense has been equally impressive, and while the defense has also stepped up since the trade deadline, Dallas’ postseason hopes took a bit of a hit with Thursday’s 44-30 loss. The Cowboys now have just a 9.9% chance to reach the playoffs, per PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor.
Sitting at 6–6–1 and second in the NFC East, the Cowboys face the Vikings, Chargers, Commanders, and Giants in the final stretch, and to keep even a faint Wild Card hope alive, they’ll need to win out.