The 2026 offseason could go down as a franchise-changer for the Dallas Cowboys. Hiring 34-year-old Christian Parker to run the defense marked a philosophical shift fans thought wasn’t possible, and drafting Caleb Downs aligns with that vision.
Things are trending up in Dallas, which feels weird to type out after they traded one of their most consistent players this offseason. The Cowboys sent Osa Odighizuwa to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2026 third-round pick that became Michigan edge/off-ball linebacker Jaishawn Barham.
Dallas will host the 49ers in Week 10 this upcoming season, giving Odighizuwa an early opportunity to get exact revenge. Appearing on The Richard Sherman Podcast, Odighizuwa affirmed that he's looking forward to returning to AT&T Stadium.
“Speaking to the [Cowboys-49ers] rivalry, this is a game that, for a long time, it’s the game that you got a picture on a dart board, and you’re throwing the knife at the picture. And now I just take down the picture, and I put up the other picture, and I’m on the other side of it, but the energy is exactly the same.”
Osa Odighizuwa looking forward to facing the Dallas Cowboys after being traded to the 49ers
It’s not even like Sherman baited Odighizuwa into it by bringing up the Dallas game. The former Cowboy went there on his own, making it clear that the matchup means something to him. And it should.
Odighizuwa did everything right with the Cowboys. From developing into one of the better pass-rushing interior defenders in the NFL, taking on a leadership role behind the scenes, and leading by example with his charity work in the area, there's not a box he didn't check.
A third-round pick in 2021, Odighizuwa remained loyal to Dallas last offseason, even though the Washington Commanders reportedly offered him more money before he reupped with the Cowboys on a four-year, $80 million deal. He had just built a new house, too, adding another layer of heartbreak.
So, yeah, he definitely feels a way, and he channeled it into a quote that should make Cowboys fans feel less confident about the matchup. After all, Dallas is winless in their last four tries against San Francisco, including 0-2 in the playoffs, dating back to 2020.
The dartboard imagery is what sticks. It’s not a shot at the Cowboys, but it confirms he hasn’t lost the edge he played with against the Niners -- he’s just redirected it. It’s violent and personal, which makes it harder to accept, given how much Odighizuwa embodied being a Cowboy.
He's embracing the villain role, and it's hard to blame him.
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