FRISCO - Dez Bryant loves it. Ocho Cinco loves it. Maybe George Pickens will prove to be lovable in return.
Much has already been said, written and rumored about the emotional baggage that new Dallas Cowboys' receiver George Pickens will bring with him to The Star.
There are some realities here.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin essentially gave up on the talented 24-year-old, the key reason Pickens has been traded to Dallas for what amounts to a third-pick.
The reason? Behavioral stuff.
But Dez, the former Cowboys standout receiver, strongly suggests that Pickens is simply passionate and misunderstood, as Bryant says he was.
And Ocho Cinco?
Earlier this offseason, it seems Pickens sought the counsel of another temperamental talent in Chad "Ocho Oinco'' Johnson. From 2008-12, Johnson led the NFL in receiving yards (in 2006) and made six Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams and is recognized as one of the greatest players in Cincinnati Bengals' history.
He was also - and continues to be - er ... flamboyant.
Johnson is now saying that at last February's Super Bowl LIX, he spoke with Pickens about dealing with what they view as being a common problem: an unfairly earned bad reputation.
And now Ocho Cinco is offering a guarantee.
"I guarantee you won't have any problems out of him no more," Johnson said during an interview with Shannon Sharpe. "I done had that conversation with him. I guarantee you, and I don't want to sit here and talk about what we talked about, but I told him, 'Listen, that window of opportunity? That (expletive) shrink real fast now.' It don't matter how good you are, and I'll use your line, 'They'll tolerate you until they can replace you'."
It's true. The Cowboys are ready to "tolerate,'' to a point; Pickens is in the final year of his contract, with no promises beyond that.
But Ocho Cinco thinks the "promise'' here is something else altogether.
"Listen to me," Johnson said. "I've seen his skill set. I know what he can do. If he got the opportunities Ja'Marr Chase got, in the Steelers' offense, what do you think his numbers would be? If George Pickens got the opportunity Justin Jefferson got with Minnesota, what you think his numbers would be?"
The NFL has a rich history of "misunderstood divas'' playing receiver, and Dallas has been the landing spot for more than a few. Dez knows all about this. Terrell Owens certainly does. Once upon a time, even Michael Irvin was put in this category by some.
And today?
Do the Cowboys need Pickens to "be Chase'' or to "be Jefferson''? Actually, serving as a superstar second banana alongside CeeDee Lamb in this Dak Prescott-led offense would be plenty.
Well, that and prove in Dallas that he's lovable.