Dallas Drops A Bombshell! Cowboys Give Update on George Pickens Injury Before Chiefs Matchup
Sunday’s 24-21 win was a big one for Cowboys star receiver George Pickens, who backed up a strong showing in Week 11 against a low-rest Raiders team with an equally strong showing against the defending Super Bowl champs, the Eagles. Pickens went for 146 yards on nine catches, adding a touchdown on the day and cracking the 1,000-yard receiving mark just 11 games into the season. He also came away with a pair of injuries, though, and did not practice on Monday.
It was also the first time this season Pickens had back-to-back 100-yard games, and the first time since late in the 2023 season when he was playing for Pittsburgh. The nine catches he had ties a high for his four-year career, one he has accomplished twice before–in that Week 11 game against the Raiders and back in Week 6 against Carolina.
Pickens is not surprised by the way he’s been playing. “Just grinding,” he told the Cowboys postgame show on Sunday. “This is kind of always what I am capable of. I used to have 100 games all the time, especially in college. So as a team, just keep going because I also seen the downs of it as well. So keep it going, get as many wins as we can. ”
Cowboys, George Pickens Are a ‘Little Beat Up’
Back at The Star, Pickens sat out on Monday in a light practice as the Cowboys prepare for their Thursday matchup against the Chiefs on Thanksgiving. He was not alone on that, as fellow receiver KaVontae Turpin also sat out. Defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa and offensive lineman Tyler Guyton also sat out.
Speaking after the practice, though, coach Brian Schottenheimer said he expects Pickens, who has a sore knee and calf, to play on Thursday. Guyton is the only active Cowboys starter slated to miss the Chiefs.
“We’re beat up a little bit,” Schottenheimer said. “I think I want to get them moving around a little tomorrow. But I think other than Tyler, he is the biggest question mark that we have right now. But I think everybody else—other than being very sore and banged up, it was a very physical game. When I watched the game I was really excited about how we attacked and our play style. Like, that’s what we want to have.”
George Pickens: ‘Use That Momentum’
Pickens said he was impressed with the way the Cowboys rallied at halftime. After falling behind, 21-0, the Cowboys notched a late first-half touchdown and used that to build some momentum in the second half.
“Guys were still just being resilient,” Pickens said. “We scored just before halftime, that was seven. So we knew we were only down two, even with some of the inconsistencies we had ourselves.”
Now, the momentum from the way the Eagles game ended can be used against last year’s other Super Bowl team, Kansas City.
“I feel like with a short week, you want to put up a full front, use the momentum that you have,” Pickens said. “KC also seen the game as well, everybody around the country did. So just use the momentum and bring that to the next game.”
Cowboys Playing With Pride
Though the Cowboys are 5-5-1 and still only sitting with a 20% chance at the playoffs, Schottenheimer said there is a new pride and new vibe within the team.
“I am proud of the assistants, I am proud of the players, I am proud of the fact that, the things we put up on the walls and in the meetings and the things we say, these guys truly believe. They echo those things,” Schottenheimer said. “And again, from the time I took this job, I have talked about culture, brotherhood, connection. You saw that on display yesterday.
“You can do that when you’re up 21-0 but it’s harder to do when you’re down 21-0 and people are concerned or you’re not playing your best football. When you have good players that believe in one another and believe in what they’re doing and, oh, by the way, most of those guys are elite football players, you’ve got a pretty good chance.”
Broncos Get Surprising Kicker News From Saints That Has Sean Payton Going Viral
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The Denver Broncos just got a surprising bit of kicker news out of Sean Payton’s old building.
NFL insider Ari Meirov reported that the New Orleans Saints are moving on from kicker Blake Grupe after multiple misses this season, less than two years after trading Wil Lutz to Denver so Grupe could take over the job.
The twist has Broncos Country talking. Lutz just landed a three-year extension with the Broncos, while Grupe is out in New Orleans and the Saints are pivoting to Cade York — a sequence that quickly sent the “Sean Payton doesn’t miss” meme flying around social media.
The #Saints are releasing K Blake Grupe after he missed 2 FGs on Sunday and has missed 8 on the year.
New Orleans traded Wil Lutz to Denver in 2023 in order to make Grupe their kicker…
Lutz just got a 3-year extension with the Broncos… Grupe gets released in New Orleans. https://t.co/BqlPuBU6CB pic.twitter.com/mChpIEsPpD
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 25, 2025
Lutz’s recent extension serves as a stark contrast
In a twist that has Broncos Country smiling, Lutz is a secured, proven kicker in the NFL, while Grupe is out in New Orleans as the Saints pivot to former Browns pick Cade York.
It did not take long for Broncos Twitter to connect the dots. The account Denver Broncos 365 quote-posted Meirov’s report with a four-word summary of the whole saga: “Sean Payton doesn’t miss.”
The Saints Moved On From Wil Lutz, but the Broncos Didn’t
When Payton arrived in Denver, one of his first reunion moves was to bring in Lutz, who spent his first seven NFL seasons kicking for the Saints under Payton. New Orleans traded Lutz to the Broncos in 2023 specifically to clear the way for Grupe, an undrafted rookie with a big leg and upside.
The gamble never fully paid off. According to Meirov’s post, Grupe’s two misses this weekend pushed his total to eight on the year, a rough number for a team looking for any semblance of stability. After sticking with him through the bumps, the Saints finally pulled the plug and are turning to York.
Meanwhile, Lutz quietly settled in as Denver’s steady leg. He impressed Payton enough to earn a new three-year deal, locking him in as the Broncos’ long-term answer at kicker while the Saints will now be onto their third option since the original trade.
For Broncos fans, the optics are juicy — especially for New Orleans.
What It Means for Sean Payton & the Broncos
On the field, nothing changes immediately for Denver. Lutz was already under contract and entrenched as the starter.
But the move in New Orleans reinforces the idea that Payton’s trust in his former kicker was more than just nostalgia. Denver cycled through kickers in recent seasons; now they have stability at a position that often only gets noticed when things go wrong.
It also adds another small data point in Payton’s favor as the Broncos continue leveling up their roster and building a contender. The head coach took plenty of heat for veteran-leaning decisions early in his Denver tenure. This one, at least, looks like a clear win: the team that gave up Lutz is still searching for answers, while the team that acquired him just doubled down.
If Lutz continues to deliver in key late-season spots, the contrast between Denver’s stability and New Orleans’ revolving door could look even sharper.
‘Sean Payton Doesn’t Miss’: Broncos Fans React to Blake Grupe Release
The kicker news immediately turned into a mini-victory lap on social media.
Broncos fans responded to the Grupe report with screenshots of Lutz’s extension, jokes about the original trade and plenty of Payton memes. The “Sean Payton doesn’t miss” line quickly became the go-to caption as fans pointed out that the coach’s faith in Lutz has already outlasted the Saints’ patience with Grupe.
It is only a kicker move, but in a league where thin margins decide seasons, Broncos Country will happily claim any win it can — especially one that makes a former Payton team look like it backed the wrong leg.
