There are several reasons why the Dallas Cowboys fell short to the Philadelphia Eagles during their season opener on Thursday night. Although he wasn’t highlighted during NBC’s broadcast, George Pickens didn’t exactly give his teammates his best effort.
In three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pickens hauled in 174 passes for 2,841 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Cowboys were willing to part ways with a 2026 third-round pick and 2027 fifth-round pick in order to add the Georgia product to their wide receiver room.
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During his debut with the Cowboys on Thursday night, Pickens had three receptions for 30 yards. While he certainly made the most out of his opportunities in the passing game, his run blocking left a lot to be desired.
On Friday afternoon, NFL fans called out Pickens for his lack of energy in the run game. There were several plays where he showed zero interest in blocking for his teammates.
Sep 4, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) makes a reception defended by Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (27) during the first quarter of the game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
NFL fans call out Pickens.
Following the Cowboys’ 24-20 loss to the Eagles, several fans ripped Pickens for his lack of effort as a run blocker.
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“This is who he is,” one fan said.
“If you don’t block you don’t get the rock! Horrible effort. Pickens should be ashamed,” a second fan commented.
“He might legitimately not make it through the season if this is repeated. Almost hard to believe,” a social media user added.
“This is why Pittsburg moved on from him. And Dallas fans thought they were getting a steal,” another fan wrote.
If Pickens wants to have a bigger role in the passing game, he’ll probably need to be a bit more aggressive as a run blocker.
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Pickens, however, is confident that things will get better for him and the Cowboys.
“First game, it was the Eagles, and everything was running on one accord at game level, and it’s all being tested. So now that we’ve got a game under our belt, I’m for sure ready to get back in the lab. And now we know what kind of game to expect — certain plays, certain coverages and what people are gonna play against us,” Pickens told reporters. “That was just the first game. I’m definitely ready to get back to the lab.”
Next up for “America’s Team” is a showdown with the New York Giants on Sept. 14. If we had to guess, Pickens will receive a few more targets in Week 2.
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This story was originally reported by The Spun on Sep 5, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.