Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens celebrates after a play as Washington Commanders safety Quan Martin and cornerback Marshon Lattimore Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

George Pickens is having an extremely unique impact on the Dallas Cowboys offense

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Matt Galatzan | Last updated Oct 20, 2025 3:17 PM ET

George Pickens has always been a major problem for NFL defenses since coming into the league a few years ago.

That has continued to be true all season long since joining the Dallas Cowboys, as he currently sits with fourth in the league with 607 yards receiving, and is tied for first in receiving touchdowns with six for the year.

However, he has also been having another truly unique impact as well, and it has become a major problem for opposing defenses - penalty yards.

Specifically penalty yards gained by Dallas on defensive pass interference calls on defenders that are attempting to guard Pickens in coverage.

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

According to NFL analyst Marcus Mosher, Pickens has drawn 116 yards in defensive pass interference calls so far this season.

That is 11 more yards than the next closest player behind him, Marvin Harrison Jr., who has drawn 105 yards in penalties. After that, no other player has drawn more than 68 yards in pass interference calls.

Obviously, this has become a huge advantage for the Cowboys on the offensive side of the ball in more than one way, with Pickens being able to cause major issues for defenses in coverage.

Pickens has been using both his immense size at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds and elite ball skills to create mismatches and force smaller defensive backs to either compensate for their lack of size and attack him early, or do anything they can to try and separate him from his enormous catch radius.

And if they don't attempt to do that, they are typically finding themselves in scenarios that see Pickens catching the football for a big gain or a touchdown, and hurting them anyway.

In other words, he is putting opposing defenses into a catch 22, and forcing them to pick their poison, and the Cowboys offense - which ranks No. 1 in the NFL in total yards, second in passing yards, and third in scoring offense - continues to exploit it to their advantage.