Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis gave a quick postgame assessment of Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens following Sunday’s 20-17 win.

Lewis called Pickens “weak” to a group of reporters as he walked back to the locker room:

Pickens finished the game with three balls for 26 yards on seven scores. His most memorable contribution of the evening was when he grabbed Lewis’ face mask after the end of the game.

Pickens has never lacked confidence, and for Sunday’s game he wrote “always f–king open” on his cheek.

However, the hype continues to outweigh the on-field returns for the 23-year-old. In addition to his lackluster performance against the Cowboys, his 34 offensive snaps were a career low. It was the first time ever that he was on the field for less than 60 percent of Pittsburgh’s offensive plays.

“We just wanted to minimize his reps to increase productivity,” head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters. “We’re just trying to represent the whole of the big picture. He was no less central to our intentions of what we wanted to do offensively.”

“It’s nothing more than us minimizing some snaps from D-linemen like Cam Heyward,” Tomlin added. “It’s all about quick management. To be completely honest, there is no underlying story.”

It’s perhaps more telling now how the Steelers pushed hard to sign Brandon Aiyuk from the San Francisco 49ers and were reportedly close to completing a trade. Now, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, they’re considering an “aggressive offer” for Las Vegas Raiders star Davante Adams.

Pickens had 1,140 receiving yards and led the NFL in yards per catch (18.1) in 2023. It looked like he was turning things around after a rookie season in which he showed flashes but lacked consistency.

Considering how he was used against the Cowboys, one can’t help but wonder if Pittsburgh simply doesn’t view Pickens as the No. 1 wideout.

We certainly know where Pickens stands on this matter.