With the 2026 NFL officially season here, the time for talking is done. Teams are taking the field, and it’s time for everyone to stand on the things they’ve been saying all offseason. The New York Giants don’t get rolling until they host the Dallas Cowboys for Sunday Night Football, so both teams have decided to put a few more words into the air.
Giants cornerback Greg Newsome II made the bold claim that New York has the best cornerback room in the NFL. Cowboys receiver George Pickens was asked about that comment, and he he made it clear that he doesn’t agree.
"That’s definitely how he should feel. Now, how we should feel, I’d definitely say a completely different story. That’s cool that he thinks that. He should definitely feel like that, but I feel like we’re definitely not thinking the same thing."George Pickens on Giants corners
Translating PR-athlete speak, Pickens is essentially saying he’s not worried about the Giants secondary, and he sees a unit that the Cowboys should be able to take advantage of.
Newsome isn’t backing down, though. Prior to Pickens’ comments, he praised the Dallas wide receiver duo of CeeDee Lamb and Pickens, calling them great players, but saying he likes New York’s chances.
Players talking spicy is an integral part of sports, and it puts their actions in a spotlight. If a Week 1 rivalry game on Sunday Night Football wasn’t enough pressure, Newsome turned the heat up a little more for the Giants’ defensive backs.
Greg Newsome II and George Pickens add another layer to Giants vs. Cowboys
Newsome and Pickens have history as rivals, dating back to their time in the AFC North. The cornerback was drafted by the Cleveland Browns and spent five years there, and the wide receiver played his first three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Cleveland and Pittsburgh is already an intense rivalry, and Newsome and Pickens added to it with their bad blood. Meeting twice a year for three straight seasons, the two frequently traded words on the field and that even escalated to a slight scuffle in a 2024 game.
After that game, Newsome called Pickens a fake tough guy who only cares about himself, and Pickens has always dismissed the corner, saying he doesn’t know who he is. The two will now get properly reacquainted and they are once again division rivals.
As for the actual matchup between New York’s corners and Dallas’ wide receivers, history sides with Pickens’ assessment of things. In 2025, the Giants were a middle of the road pass defense, giving up 214.2 passing yards a game, which ranked 16th in the league.
In the two meetings with the Cowboys, New York surrendered 343 passing yards when it lost to Dallas in Week 2, but bounced back in Week 18 with a win, only giving up 143 passing yards. However, the trio of Pickens, Lamb, and quarterback Dak Prescott only played about half of Dallas’ offensive snaps.
It's also worth noting that the Giants’ secondary looks a little different, namely adding Newsome and rookie Colton Hood. Newsome is confident it’s the best cornerback unit in the league; Pickens isn’t impressed. Sunday night will give both sides the opportunity to prove who’s right.
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