FRISCO
To say that Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown has had a tedious and frustrating few years in the NFL with injuries would be an understatement, but the one person that seems to never let it affect him is Overshown himself.
After tearing his ACL and missing his entire rookie season, tearing his ACL again along with other ligaments late in his second season that forced him to miss the first 10 games of the following year, Overshown is once again recovering from an injury early in his fourth year. In the second half of the season opener against the New York Giants, Overshown came up gimpy after a routine play that resulted in a hamstring strain for the Texas product.
What was initially thought to be a two-to-three week issue turned into five games missed for the season’s starting MIKE linebacker, but Overshown has continued to be the same person he has been during his entire tenure in Dallas: level, measured and carrying a smile on his face wherever he goes.
“I’ve been taking it day-by-day, it’s really all you can do with stuff like this,” Overshown said. “I’m blessed. Of course, I want to be out there with my teammates, but then again, it’s just about being thankful about what you do have. What I do have not playing football is a loving and caring family. I do have a team that supports me and understands that I’m doing whatever I can to get back on the field.”
At the same time, Overshown wants to be out there, not only for himself, he says, but for the Cowboys’ fanbase, his teammates and his family.
“That’s the thing that I would say has been tough on me, I’m a people-pleaser,” he said. “I want to see everybody happy. I want to see [reporters] happy covering me. I want to see the fans happy seeing me out there play. Going through what I’ve gone through these last couple of years, being on the field is my saving grace.”
The return for Overshown is expected to finally happen on Monday night when the Cowboys travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles in a pivotal divisional matchup between two 2-4 squads.
“We play on Monday now, so I got to wait an extra day,” Overshown said with a laugh. “I’m excited. I’ve definitely taken this rehab and recovery very serious. I’ve been trying to get back on the field since the week after I [was hurt]. I’m thankful that I’m still able to do what I love.”
He will join back with a defense that has shown incremental improvement early in the season, but is still searching for its overall identity going into the second quarter of the year. Overshown hasn’t missed a beat off the field participating in team meetings and being on the sideline during practice. He understands frustration — whether if it’s with his own injury status or with the defense as a whole — but he sees it as more productive to find the solutions than feeling emotions without them.
“As competitors, we want to play better and want to win,” he said. “We are going to do whatever it takes to do that. It really doesn’t matter how we feel, whether we come in here smiling or punching the walls, the result is not going to change unless we do what we got to do to change it.”
In Overshown’s absence, rookie Jaishawn Barham has handled the responsibilities of the MIKE linebacker spot, leading communication and calls into the defense. With Overshown returning to the mix, the team is remaining hush on what the new plan will be. Regardless, Overshown said he is ready to handle anything that is put on his plate immediately upon his return.
“I know when I get my opportunity to roll again,” he said, “I’m going to be rolling.”
This story was originally published October 21, 2026 at 1:01 PM.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.