Cowboys Coach Shares Sweet Exchange He Had With George Pickens After Trade From Steelers

Pickens's time in Dallas has gotten off to a strong start.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said George Pickens has been "incredible" with the team since he was traded to Dallas.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said George Pickens has been "incredible" with the team since he was traded to Dallas. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The upside of George Pickens's talent was often marred by character concerns during his time with the Steelers, but he appears to be off to a smooth start with the Cowboys.

The fourth-year receiver was traded from Pittsburgh to Dallas in May, and he has already made a strong impression on his new team during the offseason and training camp with CeeDee Lamb expressing he's "glad" Pickens is with the Cowboys and Dak Prescott raving that Pickens has been "phenomenal."

At practice on Monday, Dallas coach Brian Schottenheimer detailed how Pickens set the tone for their relationship quickly after he arrived with the Cowboys.

“From the time we got George and we went in my office and spent some time together, shot some free throws and just talked and got to know each other, he made it very clear, he was like, ‘Coach, I’m thrilled to be here, No. 1. I want to be coached. I want to be great. … Lean into me. Be tough on me. Tell me the things I need to do,'" Schottenheimer said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic.

Schottenheimer added, “He’s been nothing but incredible in terms of the way he’s worked with us, the way he has communicated with us.”

Pickens is only four months into his time in Dallas, but he is expected to provide a significant boost to the offense as a complement to Lamb and another target for Prescott. Building strong relationships with his coach and the stars around him should only strengthen these partnerships and the Cowboys as the 2025 season approaches.


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Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva Geitheim is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor's in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or re-watching Gilmore Girls.