Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens didn't make it through his first game with the team without doing something Pittsburgh Steelers fans became quite accustomed to during his three years there: the Pickens crash out.
Pickens caught three passes for 30 yards in what was a quiet debut. He did make a big catch when the Cowboys were driving to take the lead late in the game, but Dallas' drive ultimately stalled and the Eagles closed out the win.
The former second-round pick's most impactful play of the contest came in the second quarter, when he drew a defensive pass interference flag on a deep ball, setting Dallas up at the 12-yard line. The Cowboys scored two plays later.
Pickens' most notable moment came in the third quarter, when he was flagged for unnecessary roughness after he practically clotheslined Eagles safety Reed Blankenship during a Philly run play, which cost the Cowboys 15 yards.
The penalty moved Dallas back to the Eagles' 23-yard line, but the Cowboys were able to overcome that initially before running back Miles Sanders fumbled a few plays later.
First crash out by George Pickens. #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/DeN1K8o3Th
— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) September 5, 2025
Earlier in the game, it looked like Pickens wanted to trip Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell following an incomplete pass in the back of the end zone but thought the better of it.
Bad decisions and dumb penalties were the norm for Pickens during his time with the Steelers, and many of those decisions and penalties came during games in which the controversial wide receiver wasn't doing much.
Pickens and the Cowboys are still in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, but rest assured that will change from the 24-year-old's perspective if he keeps having quiet games like he did on Thursday night.
Pickens will have an opportunity to rebound when the Cowboys host the New York Giants in Week 2 in Dallas.
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