Brian Schottenheimer issues statement on latest George Pickens rant

George Pickens had his worst game as a member of the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night as they lost to the Detroit Lions.

Pickens finished with five receptions for 37 yards, which is an average of just 7.4 yards per catch. That slowed their offense tremendously, especially once CeeDee Lamb left with a concussion.

MORE: George Pickens responds to Richard Sherman after Cowboys' loss to Lions

While the stats aren't what we're used to from Pickens, the worst part was the perceived lack of effort. Pickens appeared uninterested as he wasn't fighting for the ball and had one deep ball where he didn't make an effort at the catch.

This led to criticism from Super Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman, who said Pickens looked "uninterested" in playing football .

"The big story here is George Pickens. 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. 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," Sherman said.

Pickens responded after the game, saying he "can't disappear." Later, he had a much harsher take as he let his feelings show in a now-deleted social media post made toward Sherman. Pickens used some NSFW language, calling out Sherman for his criticism.

Brian Schottenheimer gives his take on George Pickens-Richard Sherman spat

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens during the first half against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

As expected, head coach Brian Schottenheimer was asked his thoughts on the situation. The first-year head coach said he would speak with Pickens, but isn't going to judge him based on one post.

Instead, Coach Schotty said, “I’m going to judge George on the body of work and his body of work shows that he is an elite player."

Brian Schottenheimer is aware of the now-deleted post George Pickens put on social media toward Richard Sherman and will speak to the receiver. “I’m going to judge George on the body of work and his body of work shows that he is an elite player,” Schottenheimer said.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) December 5, 2025

Schottenheimer has shown he will discipline star players, sitting Pickens and Lamb for the opening drive in their Week 11 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Pickens responded to that with nine receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown.

Perhaps he will again respond to this adversity with another big outing. The Cowboys could use that as they cling to the little hope they have left for this season.

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