George Pickens Eyes 'Super Mario Bros.' Stardom with CeeDee Lamb in Dallas, Takes Swipe at Steelers
Former Steelers receiver says he's 'excited to run better plays' with the Cowboys
George Pickens has been a "player to watch" since his trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Dallas Cowboys in May.
Expectations are high for the four-year wideout, and at the start of Cowboys training camp, Pickens is signaling that he's in for a home-run season.
Speaking to the media from Cowboys camp in Oxnard, Calif., Pickens said he expects to be the new "Super Mario Bros." alongside Cowboys WR1 CeeDee Lamb, and seemingly took another shot at the Steelers in the process.
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When it comes to playing WR2 under Lamb, after being a primary target in Pittsburgh, Pickens believes the two wideouts can turn into the best receiving tandem in the league.
George Pickens denied saying the Steelers, his former team, were the "cheapest’ franchise in the NFL. (Getty Images)
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"Oh yeah, for sure," Pickens responded, when asked if they are the league's elite duo. "Just different type of styles of play. A lot of people over the years got different styles of play, but CeeDee's a certain type of guy, then I'm a certain type of guy. So, when you mesh that together, it's like Mario Bros. We definitely can do something special."
Pickens, 24, ran through obstacles in the Steelers offense, and stirred controversy when he would routinely show outbursts on the field or entirely give up on a play.
"Yeah, I'm definitely excited to run better plays, for sure," Pickens said, tossing a sneaky diss at his former team.
Generally, the Steelers had been patient with Pickens' churlish behavior, also juggling behavior issues with Diontae Johnson while the two shared a locker room.
With every breakup with a problem receiver, the Steelers have managed to come out on top in the split. Pickens hopes to buck the trend and re-establish himself as a top receiving threat with a franchise-level quarterback in Dak Prescott and a lead wideout to open up opportunities for himself.
Pickens flashed major upside as a wideout amid the turbulence at QB for the Steelers for three seasons.
OutKick's Armando Salguero highlighted the big weapon poised to aid the flailing Cowboys — a player with No. 1 receiver potential to serve as their No. 2. Pickens had 59 catches for 900 yards and three touchdowns in 2024.
"Pickens' best season was 2023 when he eclipsed 1,000 yards and led the NFL with an 18.1 yard-per-catch average," Salguero noted.
Will Pickens take off or plummet in Dallas? Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com
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