FRISCO, Texas — Lunacy. Mayhem. Mania. Feel free to use any of those three words to describe the madness unleashed upon Northwest Stadium in the first matchup of the 2024 season between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders.
Whatever word you use, and in whatever language it calls home, just make sure it truly evokes the asylum of events that took place en route to a harrowing 34-26 victory that spit in the face of anyone suggesting the Cowboys should tank their season for a higher draft pick.
It's simply not a thing within the minds of players, or coaches, in Dallas.
"For all the fans saying we should tank, they need to understand that, for a lot of guys in this locker room, our life is on the line," said veteran safety Juanyeh Thomas.
There aren't many more qualified to make that statement than Thomas, a former undrafted free agent who spent the entirety of his first season in the NFL on the Cowboys' practice squad without a single elevation.
His hard work would pay off in Year 2, when he was added to the active roster, where he instantly made a name for himself on defense and special teams. His prowess with the latter was on full display against the Commanders — his touchdown return on the onside kick recovery with only 12 seconds remaining finally sealed the coffin door closed on a maniacal fourth quarter.
A restricted free agent in March, and newly inducted into fatherhood after welcoming his first child into the world in 2024, Thomas is an example of a player who has to earn his seat every single week and, as such, has zero interest in taking plays off for any reason.
"Our life is on the line," he explained after a brief pause that hinted at his own journey flashing before his eyes. "This could be our last year playing football, ever. And for the people saying, 'Oh, you should tank to get a better pick.' What is that gonna do for the people in this locker room [right now] busting their ass to stay on the roster?
"For guys like myself, undrafted, busting my ass to be on this roster."
It's a sentiment that echoes off of the walls of the locker room.
"We're all professionals," said Cooper Beebe, a player who spent the entirety of training camp scratching and clawing for the right to be named starting center this season. "We don't buy into that stuff. We're here to win. We're here to compete. This is our job.
"This is our livelihood. We're gonna go out there and give everything we've got."
That just makes sense, when you also add in how there are also several coaches, including head coach Mike McCarthy and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who are not under contract for the 2025 season, meaning a draft pick next April for a team they may or may not be a part of carries no weight whatsoever right now.
Sitting at 4-7 on the season and with only six regular season games remaining to leave it all on the field, the Cowboys' locker room plans on doing exactly that, and the rest will be the rest.
"Moving forward, we are literally all we've got and we're all we need," Thomas said. "We have great talent and everybody can play. Obviously, we didn't start the season off how we wanted to, but we have a great team and we're gonna finish this thing off strong."
Every single rep, game and week of practice is an interview for players like Thomas, and a player is only as good as what he puts on film.
And there isn't a single Cowboys' player looking to risk their career by willingly flunking the next six interviews just to make things more interesting in April.
Not a single one.
