Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens is going viral for the wrong reasons following a 31-14 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
Pickens dropped a pass early in the fourth quarter with the Cowboys down 17 points. It bounced off his hands and Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds made an athletic play to intercept the pass.
After the play, Pickens was caught on the sideline slamming his helmet on the ground. Multiple players, including an injured CeeDee Lamb, tried to calm Pickens down, but to no avail. Pickens was seen later with a towel over his head, looking upset on the sideline.
The Cowboys played without Lamb for most of the day, which increased the workload for Pickens and the rest of the pass-catchers. Pickens finished the afternoon with five catches on nine targets for 68 yards with a touchdown. Tight end Jake Ferguson was also busy, snagging 13 passes for 82 yards.
The Cowboys had a chance late to pull closer and tried to go to Pickens a few times inside the 5-yard line. However, the drive ended with Dak Prescott throwing an interception in the end zone, ending their comeback bid.
Cowboys WR George Pickens Has Had Questionable Moments
Pickens’ sideline outburst went viral, sparking plenty of reactions from fans who had been waiting for the former Steelers receiver to boil over.
“Only took three weeks for George to lose his (expletive),” one fan said. “I thought it would be at least 5. Love to see fireworks in Big D.”
“Finally got the Pickens crash out,” another added.
The Cowboys acquired Pickens this offseason in a trade with the Steelers, sending a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder to Pittsburgh while also receiving a 2027 sixth-round selection. Despite some character concerns, Pickens quickly impressed Dallas since his arrival.
“It’s a guy that loves football, loves his teammates, and he’s been excited every day that he’s been there,” Prescott said of Pickens in June. “He’s been early, too, so no concerns on the personal matters of G.P. or anything about it. I’m just super excited that he’s on our team.”
Pickens knows his reputation but said following the trade that he’s working on bettering himself both on and off the field.
“I can’t really change anyone’s opinion [of] me personally. Just like I said, continue to grow,” Pickens said. “I feel like everybody in the world has to grow. You get older and older as you grow. Like I said, I’m just trying to build a winning culture, which they already have at the Cowboys. I’m just glad to be joining it.”
Cowboys Provide Positive Update on CeeDee Lamb
The Cowboys’ offense struggled to find its rhythm without Lamb, who exited before logging a catch. Lamb entered the matchup with 16 receptions for 222 yards on the season — both team highs.
After the game, owner Jerry Jones offered a reassuring update, noting the injury wasn’t as severe as initially feared.
“Let’s just keep our fingers crossed,” Jones said.