Patrik Walker
FRISCO, TexasGuess who's back, back again? DeMarvion Overshown, so tell a friend. The young budding superstar who also earned the right to become the first player in Dallas Cowboys' history to wear the No. 0 jersey has returned to practice, a massive step toward being activated from injured reserve in the near future to complete his journey back from a torn ACL.
It's been exactly 317 days to his count because, yes, he's been counting since the injury that derailed one of the best debuts by a linebacker in the history of the storied franchise, and asked about his mindset after taking the field for his first practice in nearly a year, Overshown beamed with gratitude.
"Ain't God good, man?" Overshown said. "He is, he is. It's a blessing just to be out there. I've been watching for 300-plus days now.
" Football is more than just a game, it's a way of life. You play with the passion and that energy, and when you're able to do it again, you never take it for granted. So each play I had out there, look, I was dancing and having fun with it because I know it can be taken away from you at any point in time; but it's more so just being out there with my brothers, man."
The road back for Overshown included getting engaged and the birth of his youngest son, two things that, along with his faith, helped keep him above the dark space that usually engulfs the mind and spirit of players after a devastating injury, let alone two in as many years.
With his return to practice, the 21-day clock begins for the Cowboys, and a decision must be made to activate him to the 53-man roster before Nov. 5, otherwise he will revert to season-ending injured reserve, but there is no plan for the latter to occur.
Instead, Overshown has already circled his anticipated date of return to play: the Nov. 17 matchup in Sin City against the Las Vegas Raiders, in primetime, and with all the world watching.
That isn't to say Overshown is looking to override the team's plan to ramp him up, knowing full well he'll need to get his conditioning back to the high level required to dominate at the NFL level his knee having felt good for roughly four months now, getting back into football shape having been the focus since just before training camp.
He explained he's ready to be the bullpen arm or the "closer" for Matt Eberflus when the time comes, Overshown's point being when he is on the field, for however long that might be at the outset, he plans to put on a show similar or greater than the highlights he generated in 2024.
And he's heard the very loud whispers from doubters as well, offering up insight on his current build and how it's actually more of everything that made the East Texas kid special in the first place en route to becoming a superstar at Texas and an eventual Day 2 draft pick for the Cowboys.
"I'm stronger, and we got the numbers to prove it stronger, faster. I jump higher. I'm more explosive. I mean, you name it. I'm all of it," he said. "So, my game, it's not going to slow down. I think one of the worst things I heard over my rehab time was, 'Man, you gotta slow down. We need you to play a full season. You gotta slow down.'
"That ain't how I play. I know how to play one way, and that's 100, full speed, and that's all you're gonna see."
He said what he said.
