George Pickens finally cracks the code on what Cowboys fans have been obsessing over for weeks.QQ
George Pickens is a totally different person on the field. And that’s intentional.
George Pickens’ numbers speak for themselves. He’s second in the NFL in receiving yards with 908. He’s third in receiving touchdowns with seven. He’s got three games with over 100 receiving yards. His production has been so high that Dallas Cowboys fans and media members have engaged in a debate I wouldn’t have ever imagined: Is he better than CeeDee Lamb?
Now, I’m not going down that rabbit hole because at the end of the day, both are feeding off of each other. I will, however, say this: Pickens’ season is about more than the stats. It’s about how his game feels. Pickens has that intangible killer instinct. When he grabs the football in clutch moments, you know he knew it was going to happen from the moment he lined up. And after the catch, you can sense he’s certain defenders are about to miss trying to bring him down.
The Cowboys may have a future starting CB in this rookie…The Cowboys may have a future starting CB in this rookie…
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It’s different from just being good. It’s the kind of demeanor that fans describe as “having that dawg in him.” It appears Pickens agrees. When he’s on the field, he says he becomes a character. He stops being “George.” He calls it “The Monster.” And it’s where he draws from for that “killer” personality on the field.
Pickens describes the origin of “The Monster” alter ego
In a column for The Players’ Tribune, Pickens wrote about his story and the moment he realized he knew he needed to shift something in his mind. He had gotten “destroyed” by an SEC defensive back and his WR coach told him “Welcome to the SEC.”
“I stepped out of The Matrix right in that moment,” Pickens wrote. “I had this crazy realization, like, ‘Oh damn, you’re too chill. That’s not going to fly out here. You’re with the killers now.’ I’m looking over at Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker — dogs. And I’m realizing, ‘Oh, you need to become a totally different person to survive out here.’ That’s when I invented The Monster.”
Pickens claims he’s a different person off the field—something that has become evident based on the way he talks to Dallas media. But on the field? It’s a different personality.
“I’m extra,” Pickens adds. “I’m taking it to the max. That’s what gets me in trouble sometimes. But that’s also what makes me great.”
That approach has yielded 160 yards after contact for Pickens, the fourth most among NFL wide receivers this season, per Sports Info Solutions. He leads the league WRs in broken tackles with ten of them.
Since the start of the season, Cowboys Nation has been captivated by Pickens’ aura on the field. You can tell he is, in his words, that “killer” on the field. And honestly, it’s a gene the Cowboys have been missing for years. Now we know more about the mystery behind it. That’s not George Pickens at all. That’s The Monster.
P.S: I highly recommend checking out the entire column, which is co-edited by his mom.
