The Dallas Cowboys are finalizing preparations for a Week 10 showdown against the San Francisco 49ers, and many have been monitoring the health of star wide receiver George Pickens and cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
Both men have missed time at practice throughout the week due to nagging injuries that kept them out of last weekend’s win over the Indianapolis Colts, and are now working their way back to the field.
On Thursday, however, Cowboys Nation received a bit of a scare and conflicting messages when Pickens popped up as “OUT” for Sunday evening’s game against the 49ers. There is one problem: he was actually out on the field practicing.
Cowboys WR George Pickens (hamstring) participating in practice for the second day in a row pic.twitter.com/MKGyJGYLVJ
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) November 12, 2026
Pickens was limited at practice on Wednesday, but on Thursday he was back going through drills throughout the afternoon.
Despite what seems like the progress for Pickens, the ESPN app appeared to glitch which led to a brief moment of panic for fans who were hoping to get Pickens back on the field for Sunday’s crucial game at AT&T Stadium.
George Pickens Returns To Practice on Thursday Afternoon
Literally while he was practicing lol. Has to be a glitch. https://t.co/hTuQ3gOszS
— Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) November 12, 2026
While Pickens is listed as out on the app, it shows his estimated return date for November 15, which will be Sunday when kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET. So, despite the hamstring and shoulder injuries that forced him out of action, Pickens is inching closer to a return.
The injuries that have plagued Pickens all season long have forced him into a smaller role in the Cowboys’ offense this season after his breakout 2025 campaign. They also appear to have limited Dallas’ opportunities to pull off a trade ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline, despite some speculation that the Cowboys could look to move the pass catcher.
Instead, Dallas apparently received no calls for Pickens, and he will now suit up for the remainder of the season under the franchise tag. Hopefully, he can find his way back to full health and find a way to step up his game and his role in the offense as we prepare for a key stretch of the regular season.
This season, Pickens has hauled in just 39 catches for 533 yards and two touchdowns. We’ll see if he can add to those totals on Sunday when the Cowboys and 49ers face off at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX.
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