ARLINGTON, Texas — It was one factor for brand new Dallas Cowboys large receiver George Pickens to go off for 144 yards and a landing on 9 catches within the group’s Week 11 “Monday Night time Soccer” victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
It is one other for Pickens to high that effort with 146 yards receiving and a landing with catches on all ninw of his targets to assist energy the Cowboys again from a franchise-record 21-0 gap to upset the defending Tremendous Bowl LIX champion Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 like he did in Week 12. Of his complete yards receiving, 133 got here after the Eagles took the 21-0 early within the second quarter.
“Nicely, I am going to let you know George has been such an integral a part of our story. He has his story to a level, and that is our story. I am so proud for him,” Cowboys proprietor and common supervisor Jerry Jones stated. “Everyone on this group is, and he actually has completely been the distinction as we have performed over the past two weeks. … It is one thing whenever you’ve bought 88 [CeeDee Lamb] and Pickens.”
He’s now as much as 1,054 yards receiving (the second-most within the NFL), eight receiving touchdowns (the third-most within the NFL) on a career-high 67 catches (the eighth-most within the NFL). Pickens’ 15.7 yards per catch rank because the fifth-most within the league, and his eight receiving touchdowns are tied for the second-most by a Cowboys participant in his first 11 video games with the franchise.
“Actually simply grinding. I simply sort of all the time [knew] what I used to be able to,” Pickens stated. “I used to have 100-yard video games in faculty on a regular basis. Simply undoubtedly, as a group, preserve going as a result of I’ve seen the downs of it as effectively. Simply preserve going and get as many wins as we are able to.”
Not a nasty worth for the Cowboys with all they’d to surrender to get the 24-year-old in a commerce with the Pittsburgh Steelers this previous offseason being a 2026 third-round choose and a 2027 fifth-round choose.
“We’re proud we have got him. I do not know if anybody has helped his group any extra to win this yr,” Jones stated. “So the great occasions we have had, Pickens has had his hand in for essentially the most half. … In fact, we’re proud to have him, and I do not even need to play video games with[out] him. We might like to have him on the group. By the way in which, I might like to have 88 on the group. I do know what we’re asking round right here, however we like the way in which the mix is letting us execute on offense.”
Quarterback Dak Prescott knew he was getting one other No. 1-caliber large receiver this season, however now the 10-year vet, who’s now Dallas’ all-time passing yards chief, views the height for Pickens as “limitless.”
“It is exhausting for me to say [he] exceeds my expectations. My expectations for him are limitless, and he’ll let you know that he is not from right here,” Prescott stated. … “He isn’t from right here, he is not from this planet and so, I am not going to place limitations on him. He went on the market and did what he is achieved in video games when he has that chance, in apply as effectively. The man loves the sport. He stays centered. Simply the communication, as I’ve stated earlier than, to different guys within the huddle about staying centered and preserve doing what you are doing. We lucked out with getting a man like that. Now we have to be sure that we are able to preserve him right here. He is a hell of a participant turning into a frontrunner, and he is particular.”
The electrical energy he gives for Dallas was particularly obvious within the fourth quarter on Sunday. With Dallas trailing 21-14 and driving to attempt to tie the sport, Prescott heaved a play-action deep shot from his personal 46 as much as Pickens regardless of two Eagles cornerbacks, Cooper DeJean and Sydney Brown draped round. Pickens made the catch to push Dallas all the way in which right down to the 11. Two performs later, the sport was tied at 21 with the Cowboys scoring on an 8-yard scramble from Prescott with 11:48 left to play.
“Positively the power,” Pickens stated of what he feels after his explosive catches. “I am an power man myself, in order that’s why you in all probability all the time see me do the loopy celebrations, get actually hyped, as a result of I do know it is a large turning level. And I do know defenses, whenever you’ve bought the momentum otherwise you make a splash play, that demoralizes them.”
Earlier this week, Lamb made it clear how a lot he and Dallas’ teammates have gone out of their option to embrace Pickens, and he is feeling the love. That is maybe one of many driving forces behind Pickens’ All-Professional-caliber season in 12 months 1 as a Cowboy.
“The blokes I am doing it with truthfully. I really feel like the fellows I am doing with it are some superb guys: Dak, CeeDee [wide receiver Ryan] Flo [Flournoy],” Pickens stated. “Even some guys on protection. Simply the fellows I am doing it with.”
Pickens’ Dallas future
Jones was requested about Pickens’ future as he finishes the final yr of his rookie deal in 2025, and he signaled the Cowboys entrance workplace would proceed to let issues play out. Which will come again to chew them come negotiation time within the spring as a result of Pickens’ manufacturing has him angling to be one of many highest-paid large receivers in soccer.
“We will let it come as effectively. It is one thing whenever you’ve bought [Lamb] and Pickens,” Jones stated. … “I do not simply attempt to spend my day messing with brokers as you effectively know. I am proud he is having the season he’s having. It exceeds something we may have hoped for.”
