The Dallas Cowboys are one of the NFL’s most storied franchises. What other team can claim Jerry Jones, Emmitt Smith, five Super Bowl titles and one of sport’s most iconic logos?
Despite a long and successful history, there are still a few records to be broken, though. Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown managed to set one of those Wednesday, becoming the first Cowboys player with a No. 0 jersey.
The team confirmed Overshown’s new number Wednesday. Overshown wore No. 13 during the 2024 season, but said he couldn’t pass up an opportunity to change to No. 0 when the NFL’s uniform policy changed.
“As soon as they changed the policy where you can now wear No. 0 in the NFL, I just knew it was meant to be,” Overshown said, via the team website. “Being the first one to wear it at Texas, growing up a Longhorn and a Cowboy in the great state of Texas — I wear it as a badge of honor. It’s not too many people that get to say they’re the first to do anything, and to say I’m the first wear No. 0 at Texas and the first to do it in Dallas Cowboys’ history, that’s a badge of honor.”
Overshown showed plenty of promise after being selected by the team in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. After sitting out his rookie season due to injury, he registered 90 combined tackles, with 5 sacks and 1 interception in 13 games in 2024. A torn ACL ended his season, and is expected to keep him sidelined for the beginning of the 2025 NFL season.
The NFL altered its number policy ahead of the 2023 season. The league previously allowed offensive and defensive linemen to wear the No. 0. With the rule change in 2023, players at other positions could wear the number. Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift and Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith were among the first players to adopt the new number.
The Cowboys were also expected to have a No. 0 that season. Safety Jayron Kearse was set to don the number for the Cowboys in 2023, but changed to No. 1 before the season started. Kearse left the team after the 2023 NFL season.
That opened the door for Overshown to make history.
