Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens has launched a blistering social media riposte at NFL Hall of Famer Richard Sherman, after the former star cornerback questioned his effort and commitment in a crucial defeat.
Sherman's Scathing Post-Match Analysis
The controversy stems from the Cowboys' Thursday night fixture against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. The game ended in a damaging 44-30 defeat for Dallas, their sixth loss of the season, severely denting their playoff aspirations. Rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs starred for the Lions, scoring a hat-trick of touchdowns.
Analysing the game for Amazon Prime, Sherman was unsparing in his assessment of Pickens's performance. "The big story here is George Pickens," Sherman stated. "Throughout the game, especially late in the game, he just looked uninterested in playing football." He went on to argue that true superstars cannot afford to be disengaged, regardless of the game's flow, and questioned whether the Cowboys could trust the receiver to "turn up, regardless of circumstance."
Pickens's Explosive Social Media Retort
Pickens clearly took exception to the comments. On Friday, he fired back at the Super Bowl-winning legend in a since-deleted but captured social media post.
He wrote, "Lots of shh has to go right for. Explosive. Plays." before taking a direct and personal shot at Sherman: "And it’s funny cause I thought former players would know that such as. RICHARD P***Y ASS SHERMAN WHO BTW AINT SHH WITHOUT THE LEGION OF BOOM WE ALL REMEMBER SAN FRANCISCO BROTHER.." The remark appears to reference Sherman's time with the San Francisco 49ers between 2018 and 2020, after his iconic years with the Seattle Seahawks' 'Legion of Boom' defence.
The Performance Under the Microscope
The criticism of Pickens was not solely from Sherman. His on-field display drew scrutiny, particularly one moment in the fourth quarter where he made a minimal effort to catch a deep pass from quarterback Dak Prescott.
Statistically, it was a quiet night for the receiver, managing only five receptions for 37 yards and failing to score a touchdown. The pressure on him was further amplified when fellow receiver CeeDee Lamb suffered a scary incident, smacking his head on the turf while attempting a catch in the end zone.
This public spat highlights the intense scrutiny NFL players face, especially after high-profile losses. With the Cowboys' season on a knife-edge, the focus will now be on whether Pickens can channel this controversy into a decisive on-field response in the games to come.
