Cowboys player George Pickens explained before kickoff how quickly he’d meshed in Dallas, praising Dak Prescott’s command and describing a brother-like rapport with CeeDee Lamb.
The wideout’s production has tracked that chemistry, with explosive plays and a physical edge that has given the Cowboys’ offense a different gear even as the team searches for steadier week-to-week form.
The NFL fined Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens $17,389 for unsportsmanlike conduct, ruling that he taunted Cardinals cornerback Denzel Burke by holding the ball toward him on the sideline during Monday night’s game, as noticed by Tom Pelissero.
The NFL fined Cowboys WR George Pickens $17,389 for unsportsmanlike conduct — holding the ball toward Cardinals CB Denzel Burke on Monday night. Pickens was also flagged.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 8, 2025
He was flagged on the play as well. The clip and images show Pickens extending the ball inches from Burke after stepping out of bounds, a gesture officials deemed over the line.
It was a flashpoint in a national-audience game Arizona ultimately controlled, and it reinforces a league trend this season of coming down hard on gestures that officials interpret as baiting or verbal abuse.
For Arizona, the infraction fit a larger theme of composure. Jonathan Gannon’s defense kept its cool, leaned on young secondary pieces, and forced Dallas into mistakes while avoiding the kind of retaliation flags that flip field position. The Cardinals matched that discipline with smart situational offense, building a cushion the Cowboys could not erase late.
Pickens, for his part, has openly credited Prescott’s on-field “march” and pre-snap awareness for making his transition smoother than expected after the trade from Pittsburgh.
He also acknowledged that Dallas’ defense has to steady itself for the stretch run. That storyline will linger, but so will the lesson from Monday: the league is policing sideline theatrics tightly, and even brief taunts are costing players real money.
Rookie cornerback Denzel Burke then authored the moment of the night, intercepting Dak Prescott down the right sideline on fourth-and-28 with 1:30 remaining to seal Arizona’s 27–17 win.
It was Burke’s first career pick and the Cardinals’ third takeaway, capping a five-sack, three-turnover performance that snapped a five-game skid and sent them into Week 10 with renewed juice.
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