OXNARD, Calif. — Early in the offseason, Brock Hoffman set out a goal that may have looked simple on paper, but it loomed large for both himself and his team.
With a hole present at center in the departure of his close friend and former starter Tyler Biadasz for the Washington Commanders, Hoffman set out to “be that guy” at the center position in his third season.
Considering where he stood just two offseasons ago at this same time, it's a meteoric rise to just have the opportunity. After being acquired by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia Tech after the 2022 NFL Draft, Hoffman spent the first half of the season on the practice squad before being cut by the organization before reaching the end of his rookie season. Subsequently, he landed on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, was elevated to the active roster for all 17 games in 2023, and started two games including the NFC East-clinching win in Washington in Week 18 of last season.
That up-and-down journey has led to an opportunity at training camp this season to win the starting job.
"I feel like everything I've gone through in my football journey all the way from when I was in high school has led to this point," Hoffman said. "I've gone through some highs and some lows, I've faced some adversity along the way, but I think it's just prepared me mentally to be ready for this."
The offseason work that Hoffman has put in has been evident. He's more technical. He's stronger and better put together physically. Most importantly, he's more communicative and more confident – two qualities that are required to man down the middle of a talented Cowboys offensive line.
"Brock's the man," quarterback Dak Prescott said. "It's in his intensity. It's in his focus, and then that allows the communication to be easier. He's a guy that gets up there, knows his job responsibility, knows the calls and then from there, he's gonna jump on them. And if I want to change something, he makes sure it's echoed and communicated to the rest of the guys but there's just no hesitation in it."
Going into year two of Mike McCarthy's offensive system, Hoffman's background as a son of a college coach and the knowledge of the game that it comes with has paid off. For him, it's about perfecting it in order to be as prepared as possible for his Pro Bowl quarterback.
"I feel like in terms of my mental speed, I feel like I've really grown playbook-wise," Hoffman said. "In terms of the game, it has slowed down and in terms of being able to see safety rotations, different defensive looks, our defense has given us a different variety of looks and the center has to be ready for that for the quarterback."
Simply put, Hoffman's intention and effort come as a direct derivative of the passion and work he has put into the game over the offseason and throughout his football career. That, Prescott says, is what allows him to be as effective as he's been in the early stages of training camp.
"He's a guy that has the love for the game, the passion," Prescott said. "It jumps out in the moment he starts the huddle. That's contagious. People feel that and then whether it's a run, a pass, he's got your back and I know he's got my back. And not just mine, the other 10 guys or whoever else stepped on the field with him."
"I'll go to war with him anyday, anywhere, anyhow."
Embroiled in a competition at center with teammates Cooper Beebe, T.J. Bass and Dakoda Shepley – three guys that he says he wants to see succeed despite the competition – Hoffman has been the trusted guy up front with the first-team unit at training camp. For offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, he allows the offense to move fluidly with his confidence and declaration.
"He's another one of those guys that's a tone-setter," Schottenheimer said. "The command of the offense and the discipline of the communication process…this guy has mastered what we're trying to do from a declaration standpoint. Him being in that role right now, he's playing with a different confidence than he maybe had last year. He's very confident and he's doing an awesome job with everything we're asking him to do."
Those same sentiments are also felt up top with head coach Mike McCarthy.
"Brock's been an excellent leader with his responsibility," McCarthy said. "I love his command. He has a great understanding of what we're doing and you have to have that as an anchor. It's his first real opportunity and he's done a good job so far."
That opportunity, while it is early, has proven to be fruitful so far in Oxnard. However, Hoffman knows there is still work to be done to be "that guy at center" when it's all said and done. But for him, it's about all the other 90 guys in the locker room with him.
"I want to make the most of it," he said. "I want to do everything I can for this team just to help us win games."
In all, it's a mindset that may just be the perfect fit for a role that requires that kind of selfless leadership.
