For Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver George Pickens, the 2026 NFL season has gotten off to a quiet start where it matters most: the stat sheet. Through the opening two weeks of the year, Pickens has hauled in nine catches, but he has been completely bottled up in the deep game, tallying just 68 yards and zero touchdowns.
That modest output comes as a bit of a shock following a stellar 2025 campaign where he exploded for 93 receptions and 1,429 yards. Playing this season under a fully guaranteed $27.3 million franchise tag, Pickens is under immense pressure to put up monster numbers to secure a massive long-term deal when he hits free agency next spring.
Instead, opposing defensive coordinators have shifted their focus, frequently rolling double-team coverages his way. While that defensive attention has allowed teammate CeeDee Lamb to thrive early on—sparking a 37-point offensive outburst against the Washington Commanders—it hasn’t stopped Pickens from showing signs of frustration.
The 50 Cent Meme That Started a Firestorm
Fueling speculation across social media this week, Pickens shared a cryptic Instagram story featuring a classic quote and meme of rapper 50 Cent:
“I don’t care about [expletive] no more. You can say I am worse, because I really don’t give a [expletive]. Now, it’s more like, I know that I am not in control of everything. If you believe in God, you think God got a plan for you. And that you’re not in control over that.”
While the post can easily be interpreted as a veiled plea for more targets downfield, Pickens has struck a much more diplomatic tone when speaking with the media. Acknowledging the schematic reality of being heavily guarded, the star wideout noted how drawing multiple defenders ultimately benefits the broader offensive scheme:
“Coordinators… definitely scheme or schematically scheme something up for me and CeeDee,” Pickens explained via the team website. “That’s like a 40, 50 yard gain just off of two guys watching me. I think we scored that same drive. Definitely. And that’s engineering victory to bigger and better things.”
Balancing Personal Stats with Team Success
The challenge for head coach Brian Schottenheimer and the Cowboys’ offense will be finding a balance between exploiting double-teams to feed CeeDee Lamb and keeping an elite playmaker like Pickens happily engaged.
With a high-stakes international showdown looming against the Baltimore Ravens in Brazil, Pickens will be eager to shake loose from his early-season slump and prove he is worth every penny of his lucrative tag. Whether that means explosive deep plays or letting the scheme work around his gravity, the star receiver’s mindset will remain heavily monitored as the long autumn grind rolls on.
Do you think the Cowboys need to force more deep targets to George Pickens against Baltimore, or should they continue letting the offense flow through double-team mismatches?
