George Pickens was benched for the opening drive in week 11 against the Las Vegas Raiders after breaking team curfew. But if you think this was the first time someone had to set him straight, you’ve got to rewind the clock. This week, against the Eagles, when Pickens delivered one of his season-best performances, his former high school coach spoke up. He revealed that Pickens had been benched back in high school for similar disciplinary issues.

“I wonder if @dallascowboys George Pickens will shoot me a thank you for setting him straight when I coached him as a HS senior by not letting him start the @UnderArmour all star game for missing a couple of meetings,” 7-time state champion Kevin Kelley wrote on his X account about his time coaching Pickens at Hoover High School. “Seriously, what a talented kid!!”

Though Pickens has always been known for lighting up the stat sheet, he, too, had his share of “temper-related” incidents that followed him through high school.

At one point, rumors swirled about Pickens being involved in a fight with a special needs student. But those claims were shut down and clarified as false and misleading by people who were actually there. Despite these false claims, Pickens had always been a star for his high school.

He recorded 69 catches for 1,368 yards and 16 touchdowns, one of the best seasons in the entire state. Pickens also earned All-USA and All-Alabama honors and even took home MVP of the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game. He continued to take his elite class forward to his college and now the NFL.

But with Pickens delivering one of his best NFL outings with the Cowboys, he is still walking on a tightrope about his future with them.

Pickens’ brilliance vs. behavior: Jerry Jones caught in the middle

George Pickens is set to hit free agency after this season. This has put Jerry Jones and the Cowboys in a real bind. The 24-year-old wideout is having the best season of his NFL career, but his disciplinary red flags are impossible to ignore. And Jones, reputed for being tough and unapologetic on discipline, now finds himself stuck right in the middle of a tough decision, whether to keep Pickens or waive him after this season.

Pickens has racked up 1,054 receiving yards and is one of the top targets for Dak Prescott this season. He has managed 8 touchdowns, which is already equal to his last two seasons’ combined. He now has the league’s second-most receiving yards and third-most touchdowns as a wide receiver. But apart from his electric performance, his indiscipline cannot be ignored.

After being benched against the Raiders, Pickens got slapped with a $26,085 fine for using a prop during a touchdown celebration. This is his fifth unsportsmanlike penalty of the season. That single moment pushed his total fines to over $84,000 just in 2025 and $191,155 across his four-year career. His rap sheet includes everything from taunting and helmet-off antics to excessive facemask grabs, a blindside block, obscene gestures, and a handful of other “what are you doing?” moments.

So now the wait remains for Pickens. If he can make his way towards redemption by simply not doing anything, he might have a real shot at making it to the Cowboys next season as well.