George Pickens adopts Kobe Bryant’s mentality to have a great NFL season with Cowboys

In his first year with the Dallas Cowboys, George Pickens exceeded all expectations. The wide receiver has been one of the biggest stars on America’s Team, and his talent is not only due to his technical abilities, but also to the mentality once embodied by Kobe Bryant.

“Oh, I kind of always had it [in me], honestly,” Pickens said of the Mamba Mentality, via the team’s official website. “When you hear me say that it doesn’t matter what happens on the field or what happens on — I just want to do my best. When I say sentences like that, it’s the mentality that I have. So just one day at a time, and keep getting better every day.”

The pressure on the Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott to reach the Super Bowl is high. Can they finally achieve Jerry Jones’ and the entire franchise’s ultimate goal this NFL season?

Pickens’ 2025 numbers

In his debut season with Cowboys, George Pickens established himself as a premier perimeter threat, hauling in 93 receptions for 1,429 receiving yards and nine touchdowns across 17 regular-season games. Averaging 15.4 yards per catch, Pickens instantly solidified his role as Dak Prescott‘s primary big-play target, culminating in the first Pro Bowl selection of his career.

George Pickens #3 of the Dallas Cowboys reacts after a catch.

Heading into 2026, and after receiving the franchise tag worth a fully guaranteed $27.3 million, Pickens will once again be Brian Schottenheimer’s primary weapon in the receiving corps.

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Embracing Kobe’s mentality

Kobe Bryant‘s “Mamba Mentality” represents a relentless, uncompromising pursuit of excellence grounded in extreme discipline, preparation, and resilience. It is less about winning individual titles and more about the daily process of constantly striving to outwork your past self and push through physical and mental limits.

This obsessive drive transcended basketball, deeply inspiring world-class athletes across various sports—from tennis stars like Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka to soccer icons like Cristiano Ronaldo—who adopted his uncompromising work ethic and legendary clutch mindset as their blueprint for greatness.

Pickens feels comfortable in Dallas

Pickens will remain in Dallas for at least one more year, but beyond that, his future could take another turn. That said, the environment the wide receiver experiences with America’s Team could be a determining factor in his decision to stay.

“I’d probably just say the type of coaches and the people around. When it’s a different vibe and environment, then that’s mostly what you’re seeing out of me now. Just, definitely more light-hearted people,” he said during the press conference.