George Pickens Bio
George Malik Pickens Jr. (born March 4, 2001) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 3 inches and weighing around 200 pounds, he is known for his length, leaping ability, and knack for one-handed catches down the sideline. After starring at Hoover High School in Alabama and helping the University of Georgia win a national championship, Pickens was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft. He later earned his first Pro Bowl selection and Second-Team All-Pro honors in 2025.
Early Life and Background
George Malik Pickens Jr. was born on March 4, 2001, in Hoover, Alabama, and grew up in nearby Birmingham. He was raised alongside his older brother, Chris Humes, who played cornerback for the Arkansas State Red Wolves and later had a stint with the Oakland Raiders of the NFL. Humes, who is seven years his senior, became a major influence on George as he navigated the early stages of his football career.
Pickens attended Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama, where he developed into one of the top wide receiver recruits in the country. As a senior, he recorded 69 receptions for 1,368 yards and 16 touchdowns. On November 16, 2018, he posted five receptions for 202 yards in what was the highest stat line of his tenure at Hoover. He later played in the 2019 Under Armour All-American Game and graduated from Hoover High School in June 2019.
Path to Professional Football
Rated as a five-star recruit, Pickens originally committed to play college football at Auburn University before flipping his commitment to the University of Georgia. The decision launched a path that quickly placed him on a national stage and prepared him for a rapid transition to the NFL.
At Georgia, Pickens earned immediate playing time as a freshman in 2019, leading the team with 49 receptions, 727 receiving yards, and eight receiving touchdowns. In his sophomore season, he caught 36 passes for 513 yards and a team-leading six touchdowns in an eight-game campaign shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the spring of 2021, he tore his ACL and missed most of his junior year, but he returned for the final four games of the season.
Back on the field, Pickens made a crucial 52-yard reception in the first quarter of the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Alabama. That catch put Georgia in Alabama territory for the first time in the game and set up a short field goal in a victory that delivered the Bulldogs a national title. After the championship, Pickens declared for the 2022 NFL draft and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round with the 52nd overall pick.
George Pickens Career
Early Career (2022)
Pickens made his first professional start in the Steelers’ season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, catching one pass for three yards in a 23–20 win. He quickly became a weekly target, highlighted by a one-handed grab against the Cleveland Browns in Week 3 that many called the Catch of the Year. By Week 7, he had scored his first professional touchdown against the Miami Dolphins, and he later added a game-winning score against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 16.
He finished his rookie season with 52 receptions for 801 yards and a team-high four receiving touchdowns. The performance confirmed his role as a perimeter threat and established the foundation for a larger role in his second year.
Pittsburgh Steelers Breakthrough (2023–2024)
In his second NFL season, Pickens elevated his production, posting 63 receptions for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns across 17 games and 16 starts. He led the league with 18.1 yards per reception, a mark that underscored his ability to stretch defenses down the field. Standout performances included a 195-yard, two-touchdown effort against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16 and a 131-yard game against the Seattle Seahawks the following week.
The 2024 season brought additional challenges and growth. Pickens was named wide receiver one on the Steelers’ depth chart heading into the year and opened with 85 receiving yards in Week 1. He later produced multiple 100-yard games, including a 111-yard, one-touchdown performance against the New York Jets on October 20. A 20-yard touchdown grab from Russell Wilson on November 10 produced another widely praised Catch of the Year moment. Pickens finished 2024 with 58 receptions for 900 yards and three touchdowns across 13 games, and added five catches for 87 yards and a touchdown in a Wild Card Round loss to the Baltimore Ravens, his final game as a Steeler.
Dallas Cowboys Era (2025–Present)
On May 7, 2025, the Pittsburgh Steelers traded Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. The move paired him with a new offensive system and gave the Cowboys a featured perimeter receiver. Pickens responded with the most productive season of his career.
Across 2025, he posted career highs with 93 receptions, 1,429 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns. Highlights included nine catches for 168 yards against the Carolina Panthers, nine catches for 146 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles, and seven catches for 130 yards against the Los Angeles Chargers. He was named to his first career Pro Bowl and earned Associated Press Second-Team All-Pro honors, later adding Offensive MVP honors for his performance in the Pro Bowl. On February 27, 2026, the Cowboys placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Pickens, and he signed the tag on April 29.
Driving Style and Strengths
Pickens is at his best on the outside, where his length, body control, and timing allow him to win contested catches and high-point the football. He pairs that skill set with strong ball-tracking on deep routes and the willingness to attack the middle of the field. His chemistry with his quarterbacks, including Russell Wilson and Kenny Pickett during his Steelers tenure, helped him post multiple 100-yard games in each of his first three NFL seasons.
Notable Events and Milestones
Pickens’ most memorable moments include his one-handed grab against the Cleveland Browns in 2022, his 52-yard catch in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Alabama, and his twisting 20-yard touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2024. He also earned his first Pro Bowl selection and Second-Team All-Pro honors in 2025 after leading the Cowboys in receiving.
George Pickens Career Wins
Across the NFL, Pickens has stacked multiple 100-yard games, two career-high 1,000-yard seasons, and his first Pro Bowl invitation in 2025. As of the end of the 2025 regular season, he has totaled 267 receptions for 4,270 receiving yards and 21 receiving touchdowns in his NFL career.
NFL Highlights
Pickens opened his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2022 to 2024, peaking in 2023 with 1,140 receiving yards and a league-leading 18.1 yards per reception. After his trade to the Dallas Cowboys in 2025, he produced career highs of 93 receptions, 1,429 yards, and nine touchdowns, earning First-Team recognition as a Pro Bowl selection and Second-Team All-Pro.
Other Wins and Performances
Pickens also enjoyed major success at the college level, winning the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship with the Georgia Bulldogs as a junior. He played in the 2019 Under Armour All-American Game and was named Second-Team All-Pro and Offensive MVP of the 2025 Pro Bowl.
George Pickens Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Pickens grew up in Hoover and Birmingham, Alabama, alongside his older brother, Chris Humes, a former cornerback for the Arkansas State Red Wolves and the Oakland Raiders of the NFL. Humes, who is seven years George’s senior, has remained a close figure in his life.
Personal Life
After being drafted by the Steelers in 2022, Pickens moved into an apartment in Pittsburgh with his older brother, Chris Humes. On the second night of the 2022 NFL draft, Pickens went viral when he was photographed watching the draft from his family’s living room wearing a white T-shirt, blue basketball shorts, and a ski mask. He later explained that the look was a mix of humor and frustration after not being chosen in the first round, and the ski mask has continued to be part of his on- and off-field attire.
2025 Season Performance
George Pickens’ 2025 season marked his transition to the Dallas Cowboys after a May 2025 trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers. He quickly became a focal point of the offense, opening with nine catches for 68 yards and a touchdown against the New York Giants in Week 2 and adding eight catches for 134 yards and two scores against the Green Bay Packers in Week 4. By midseason, he was regularly producing games of 130 receiving yards or more, including a nine-catch, 146-yard performance in a 24-21 comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 12.
He finished the year with 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns, all career highs, and earned his first Pro Bowl selection along with Second-Team All-Pro honors. He also took home Offensive MVP honors from the Pro Bowl, reinforcing his status as one of the league’s most improved perimeter threats.
On February 27, 2026, the Cowboys placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Pickens, and he signed the tag on April 29, locking him in as the team’s featured receiver heading into the next league year. With career-best production behind him, Pickens enters his next season as a central piece of the Cowboys’ passing attack.
