Troy Aikman isn’t shy about voicing his thoughts when he disagrees with any Dallas Cowboys decision, and his latest concern is about George Pickens. The former Cowboys QB openly questioned the franchise’s decision to place a player like him under the franchise tag, especially after a career year. While expressing his thoughts on ESPN, Aikman revealed what the player would feel like in such a situation.
“I do think as it relates to George Pickens. He comes in, he knows he’s in a contract year,” said Aikman on ESPN. “He puts up a huge year, and I know that all players would feel this way. They would then expect to be rewarded for that, and it’s a letdown then when you get the franchise tag. So I would have to believe that George is less than thrilled about that, that he wanted a long-term contract.”
In his very first season with the Cowboys, Pickens established himself as one of the core players on the team’s offense. He registered 1,429 receiving yards, which saw him rank third in the league. To Aikman’s point, after that kind of performance, it is normal to expect a good deal, especially when you are only 25. However, the Cowboys were reluctant to offer Pickens a good deal, and this eventually led to rumors of him potentially leaving the franchise.
After weeks of back and forth, when the player decided to pick the franchise tag, CEO Stephen Jones stated that the player was on Cloud 9 after making the decision.
In 2025, the Dallas Cowboys traded George Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a 2026 third-round and 2027 fifth-round selection. But a year later, in February 2026, the Cowboys have put Pickens under the Franchise Tag, which is a one-year, fully guaranteed tender used by teams to prevent key, expiring-contract players from becoming unrestricted free agents.
It usually comes into action in a situation where the team and player cannot agree on a long-term contract structure at the moment. However, in Troy Aikman’s ideals, such a move often discourages the players, especially after CEO Stephen Jones’ statement about Pickens’ potential future with the Cowboys.
“That also, Stephen Jones comes out and says that they are not going to sign him to a long-term contract. So what does that do for his frame of mind as far as him going into this season? Time will tell,” Aikman added.
Troy Aikman: Pickens Can’t Be Happy About the Franchise Tag pic.twitter.com/mNXMYfN71P
— DLLS Cowboys (@DLLS_Cowboys) May 13, 2026
“There won’t be negotiations on a long-term deal,” Jones said in April, via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, but history has suggested this stance could change.
Like Pickens, the Dallas Cowboys once placed Prescott on the franchise tag in March 2020. However, a year later, the Cowboys’ QB1 overcame the situation by signing a massive four-year, $160 million extension in 2021. With that, he also became the highest-paid NFL player based on average annual value, earning $60 million per year.
As a result, when Prescott learned about Pickens’ franchise tag situation, he offered simple advice to his wide receiver.
“George loves football,” said Prescott. “That is the one thing about it. I just want him to know, do not change your love for football. Do not get caught up in the business side of it. You played last year on a one-year deal for not even that much, right? So if you can go get 30 million or whatever it is now, I think it is the same thing I was told when I was franchised. Just go do it.”
Surely, being placed under a franchise tag can be disappointing, especially without any guarantee for the future, which is what Prescott and Aikman were concerned about regarding Pickens. However, circumstances can change, and Prescott himself is a prime example of that. But for now, he seems to want the 25-year-old wide receiver to stay focused on his game.
Troy Aikman lauds Dak Prescott’s leadership skills ahead of the 2026 season
The Dallas Cowboys had one of the finest offensive units in the 2025 season. Fox Sports ranked the Cowboys as the second-best in terms of total offense. They averaged 391.9 offensive yards per game and scored 51 touchdowns. The unit had QB Dak Prescott leading, with RB Javonte Williams, WR CeeDee Lamb, and WR George Pickens as his targets.
But in former QB Troy Aikman’s eyes, it’s Prescott’s leadership that stood out. During a recent episode of ESPN’s Get Up, Aikman also showered praise on how Prescott handles his team.
“I think that Dak handles it really well,” said Aikman. “Him being a veteran guy, and also his leadership skills come out in those situations. Because all receivers, they do want the ball, and the running backs want the ball. And as a quarterback, especially when you’re as prolific as they were last year, there’s a lot of conversation. But I think Dak manages that exceptionally well.”
Aikman also took notice of Prescott’s camaraderie with his wide receivers, Lamb and Pickens. He equally credited the trio for the performance in the 2025 season. “Of course, the play on the field spoke for itself,” Aikman added. “So, I think it was a good setup [with Prescott, Lamb, and Pickens]. And Dak again, he’s been a facilitator, and he’s done a great job of it.”
Despite a standout performance from the offensive unit, the Cowboys finished the 2025 NFL regular season with a 7–9–1 record, placing 2nd in the NFC East. A significant portion of the blame fell on the defensive unit, which ranked 30th overall, allowing an average of 377 yards.
However, the 2026 NFL Draft saw the franchise make some major improvements in that department. Not only did they draft the consensus best defender in the draft – Caleb Downs, they also have veterans like Dee Winters, Rashan Gray, and Jalen Thompson to anchor their defense. If both these units click, the Cowboys could be the team to beat in the NFC.
