‘Whether I Catch 100 Balls Or If I Catch None’: George Pickens Says Dallas Cowboys Locker Room Defines A Good Day At Camp

OXNARD, Calif. — George Pickens said the part of training camp he values most is the time he spends around his teammates, not the catches he has stacked up through Dallas’ first two weeks in Southern California.

Pickens is participating fully in his second camp with the Dallas Cowboys after signing his one-year, $27.3 million franchise tender on April 29. He has not missed a practice or a meeting in Oxnard.

Pickens said he takes camp one day at a time, and that he tries to lift teammates who feel like their own day is going badly.

“Oh, pretty good,” Pickens said. “I kind of always take it one day at a time, and I [help] a lot of other guys who think they’re not having such a good day. But for me, personally, anytime I can be really around the guys or the team, I feel like I’m having a good day — whether I catch 100 balls or if I catch none.”

Dallas acquired Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers on May 7, 2025. The Cowboys sent a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to Pittsburgh, and received Pickens along with a 2027 sixth-round pick. Pickens caught 93 passes for 1,429 yards and 9 touchdowns across 17 games in his first season with Dallas. He finished third in the NFL in receiving yards. Pickens averaged 15.4 yards per reception. All three of those receiving totals were career highs, and he was named a second-team All-Pro for the season.

The 2026 Pro Bowl Games were his first. Pickens caught 3 passes for 39 yards and 1 touchdown in the NFC’s 66-52 win over the AFC on Feb. 3 at Moscone Center South in San Francisco. He was named the game’s offensive MVP.

George Pickens Traces The Cowboys’ Conditioning Work Back To Georgia

Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer has added conditioning runs after padded practices in his second year leading the team. Dallas opened camp July 29 at River Ridge Fields, the franchise’s 20th training camp in Oxnard, and held its first padded practice Aug. 3.

Pickens said he ran the same post-practice drills at the University of Georgia.

“It’s super good,” Pickens explained. “I did that when I played at the University of Georgia too, and we also won a championship as well there — back to back years. I feel like when you’re running, it’s probably painful because you just did a whole practice, but conditioning is another component of the game that can definitely give you an edge.”

Pickens played three seasons at Georgia under Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart, from 2019 through 2021. He tore the ACL in his right knee during spring practice in March 2021 and returned for the final four games of that season, catching 5 passes for 107 yards. Georgia beat Alabama 33-18 in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on Jan. 10, 2022. It was the program’s first national title since 1980. Pickens caught a 52-yard pass in the first quarter of that game.

Pickens declared for the 2022 NFL Draft after the title game. Pittsburgh selected him in the second round, 52nd overall. He has 267 receptions and 4,270 receiving yards across 65 career games.

George Pickens Enters His Fifth NFL Season On The Franchise Tag

Dallas placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Pickens in February. Before the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cowboys announced they would not negotiate a long-term contract with him this offseason. The July 15 deadline for tagged players to sign multiyear deals passed without an agreement. The tender is fully guaranteed.

Pickens said the Mamba Mentality associated with Kobe Bryant is the mindset he plays with.

“Oh, I kind of always had it [in me], honestly,” Pickens said. “When you hear me say that it doesn’t matter what happens on the field or what happens on — I just want to do my best. When I say sentences like that, it’s the mentality that I have. So just one day at a time, and keep getting better every day.”

The Cowboys return all 11 offensive starters from last season. Dak Prescott enters his 11th NFL season and his second in Schottenheimer’s offense. CeeDee Lamb caught 75 passes for 1,077 yards and 3 touchdowns in 14 games in 2025.

Dallas went 7-9-1 last season and missed the playoffs for the second straight year. The Cowboys finished second in the NFL in total yards.

The Cowboys carry 91 players on their offseason roster, one above the standard limit, because of a roster exemption for defensive end Adedayo Odeleye through the NFL’s International Player Pathway program. Teams must reach 53 players by 5 p.m. CT on Aug. 30.

Dallas opens the preseason Aug. 15 at the Seattle Seahawks, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. CT at Lumen Field. The Cowboys hold a joint practice with the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 18, play at the Arizona Cardinals on Aug. 22, and close the preseason against New Orleans at AT&T Stadium on Aug. 28. The regular season opens Sept. 13 at the New York Giants.