Calls Mount Against Oblivious George Pickens After Candid Confession About Micah Parsons’ Trade

The Cowboys stunned the NFL by trading Micah Parsons to Green Bay for two first-round picks and nose tackle Kenny Clark. Jerry Jones framed it as a move to fix Dallas’ run defense, while the Packers immediately handed Parsons a four-year, $188 million extension. As debates raged over who won the deal, the spotlight unexpectedly shifted to Cowboys receiver George Pickens.

Recently, NFL Network’s Jane Slater caught up with George Pickens to ask about the Micah Parsons trade news. She wanted to know what the group chats looked like when the blockbuster deal broke. But Pickens’ response stunned fans. “I was on a video game, actually. So, I didn’t even know until I looked it up… like early this morning, that it was like ‘oh yeah’. But like I said, best for both parties, I guess.” So, Pickens didn’t even realize Parsons was traded until the next day. But what’s new? Back in Pittsburgh, he didn’t even realize that his then-OC Matt Canada had been fired until a day later.

But Jane Slater pressed further on Parsons’ trade, pointing out that George Pickens himself had been traded earlier this offseason. The wideout didn’t shy away from reflecting. “I feel like it was just, you know, some people got to do the best for their situation. And I feel like from organization and from player that’s exactly what happened.” Pickens knows the feeling firsthand. Back in May, he left the Steelers in a trade that clearly stung him. On Instagram, Pickens had blasted Pittsburgh as “the cheapest organization.” The wideout’s frustration came from how quickly they moved on. So, maybe he sympathizes with Parsons more than he lets on.

He further admitted to Jane, “Yeah, that guy has been here for like four or five years dominantly, you know, making an impact. You’re definitely gonna feel his presence when he’s not here.” That’s a fair point. Micah Parsons was the heartbeat of Dallas’ defense, so losing him changes everything. But Slater also asked something interesting. Would a “change of scenery” help Micah the same way it helped him?

Pickens agreed. “It was good for me just strictly cause, you know, you’re somewhere so long and you build, you know, a certain label, certain record, or whether that’s good, great, or bad, you kind of want a first start. And I feel like that’s what a lot of people in life like.” That’s a refreshingly honest take.

Sometimes, both players and organizations need to reset, especially after the kind of contract dispute that Dallas and Micah Parsons had. And that’s what Jerry’s been saying, too. Kind of ‘Thank you, next,’ vibes from him. But sentiment’s the same. Plus, Kenny Clark’s getting a welcome too as Pickens concluded: “He’s brand new and I’m just new, you know what I mean. We’re gonna embrace him as well.” But it was not just the relatability factor and the honesty that caused a stir, but a simple fact made it worse: Pickens was oblivious to Parsons’ trade. Dallas didn’t like it.

George Pickens gets on the nerves of the Cowboys Nation

Just as George Pickens was easing into life with the Cowboys. He’s managed to spark frustration before even making his regular-season debut in Dallas. His recent comments about Micah Parsons’ departure gave fans plenty of reason to question just how locked-in their new wideout really is. One wrote, “Incredible physical talent. Zero craps given about the team around him. Me first.”

And this comment literally takes us back to 2023, when he responded with, “I didn’t even know,” to a reporter asking him about Matt Canada. Another piled on: “Guy met Kenny Clark before knowing Micah got traded.” Some even questioned why Dallas traded for him at all, with one comment reading, “The Pickens trade looks so much worse now, both meaning after the trade and after this interview 🤣.”

That reputation isn’t new. Even Mike Tomlin acknowledged his young receiver’s need to mature, saying, “He’s got a target on his back because he is George… but he has gotta grow up.” For his part, Pickens told ESPN’s Todd Archer he views Dallas as a chance to do exactly that: “I feel like growth for me is taking a great direction in me coming to the Cowboys.” But that growth towards the Cowboys isn’t starting on a good note as it stands.

Still, the jokes kept coming, with one fan quipping, “Next up, he learns he is in the same WR room as CeeDee Lamb.” That one cuts deep, because Lamb has been in Dallas since 2020. For Cowboys fans, the worry is simple—can Pickens’ undeniable talent outweigh the perception that he’s too detached from what’s happening around him? Right now, that question is every bit as loud as the Parsons trade itself.