Cowboys' George Pickens Shares Relatable Secret to Game Day Success

Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver George Pickens opened up to Micah Parsons about his unique, but relatable, pre-game tradition.

Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens during NFC practice at the NFL Flag Fieldhouse at Moscone Center South Building. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys made one of the biggest moves of the 2025 NFL offseason when they completed a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers to land star wide receiver George Pickens.

In his first year with the Cowboys, Pickens had a breakout year and recorded career-highs in receptions (93), receiving yards (1,429), and touchdowns (9).

The on-field success led to Pickens receiving the first Pro Bowl nod of his career, and he recently sat down to discuss one of the secrets to his succes.

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Pickens sat down with former Cowboys All-Pro turned Green Bay Packers star Micah Parsons during Super Bowl Week and revealed the pre-game tradition that helps him relax and get focused for game day.

Surprisingly, Pickens' key to success is something relatable that anyone who has scrolled through Instagram knows the appeal of: food videos.

#Cowboys George Pickens gets relaxed on game day by….watching food videos.

Pickens says the videos make him calm and focused. I swear, athletes are just like us.

(🎥: @ The Edge with Micah Parsons) pic.twitter.com/oRBsmPJ6Me

— Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) February 8, 2026

"For me, what's crazy is I be watching food videos, bro," Pickens said to a room full of laughs. "I swear to God, like, I don't know if you be seeing,

"I know y'all be seeing on Instagram reels when they be preparing it and then the seasonings, and then I be watching them sh*ts before the game and that sh*t really keep me at a level base. I swear to God."

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Who knew that Pickens simply needed a fresh new recipe on his mind to get ready for a game. Whatever he does, it works, because he spent the season cooking defenders on game day.

Now, following his breakout year, Pickens is set to land a blockbuster deal. The expectation the Cowboys will use the franchise tag to prevent the star wideout from hitting the open market. Once he inks his new deal, Pickens will have plenty of extra cash to bring the food videos to life in his free time.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens celebrates after a play against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

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