The New York Giants have a Week 1 divisional showdown against the Dallas Cowboys. With that in mind, cornerback Greg Newsome II is already eyeing his matchup against wideout George Pickens.
During a press conference, Newsome was asked about his former AFC North foe, George Pickens. Newsome was a part of the Cleveland Browns while Pickens played for the Steelers. Now, Newsome reps the G-Men while Pickens has a lone-star helmet on him.
Newsome welcomed the matchup. “I’m super excited for the challenge, I’ll be ready”, he said. The CB also stated he believes he is one of the best in his position and he has to prove it week in and week out.
Pickens is a tough WR to guard
Given that Pickens has elite physical traits and circus-catch ability, even if he is guarded properly, he can still make incredible plays. At 6’3″ with long arms, he can reel in passes that seem completely uncatchable, making him a nightmare in 50/50 jump-ball situations. He had 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns for the Cowboys last season.
In five head-to-head games, Pickens has 18 catches for 324 yards and two touchdowns. That is around 64.8 yards per game. However, those stats are against Newsome teams, not specific snaps against the cornerback.
There’s bad blood between Newsome and Pickens
Newsome was also asked if he and Pickens would exchange Christmas cards. He said “Nah, wouldn’t do that.” And is clear why. Back in 2024, Pickens and Newsome had a physical altercation.
Pickens grabbed Newsome by the helmet and forcefully dragged him out of bounds toward the front row of the stands. As the clock hit zero, Newsome and Pickens were swinging at each other as security and officials tried to separate them. Hence, we’re in for an explosive treat in Week 1 with the Giants facing the Cowboys.
