Second-year safety, Juanyeh Thomas, makes the Dallas Cowboys 53-man roster. It’s been a wild ride for the former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket, who went undrafted in 2022. He got his chance in 2023 when the Cowboys signed him as an undrafted free agent. It’s no secret that Thomas had an excellent training camp and made a couple of splashes on the field.
There are always talks about the “Hidden Gem” in the NFL, and the Cowboys may have found their own in Thomas. On the second play, he opened fans’ eyes by catching an interception from Jaguars’ star quarterback, Trevor Lawrence. It’s indeed quite the leap for Thomas this year. Thomas spent some time on the practice squad last season before signing a futures/reserve contract during the offseason.
However, it’s a dark time for many NFL players who didn’t make a roster spot. Many have to go back to the drawing board or real life. Thomas is overcoming that adversity to be a part of the Dallas Cowboys. He didn’t have an easy childhood growing up, but he didn’t let that stop him from making it to the pros.
It’s like a big break and Juanyeh Thomas is earning that right in a well-deserved fashion for the Dallas Cowboys.
Overcoming Adversity: Second-Year Safety Makes Dallas Cowboys 53-Man Roster
Trials and Tribulations
Although Thomas went undrafted and had to start from scratch, it wasn’t the first time he had to do so. Juanyeh went from escaping a house fire set by his father and sleeping at rest stops while crawling for a chance to play in the league. Despite not having his father involved, he had his mother teaching him the game and being there for him. Thomas’ mother is the reason why he plays football because she taught him everything he knows now.
In 2023, Thomas is now emerging as a leader for the Dallas Cowboys. His life difficulties and obstacles that he had to overcome, make him hungrier than ever for this season. Once sleeping in the car with his family to now making it to the NFL, is an unforgettable story. Thomas put in the work and kept his head above water to play this upcoming regular season.
The Future is Bright
Thomas is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel now that the Cowboys are seeing his potential. Juanyeh has the potential to be not only elite in coverage but also in open-field tackling. It started to become emotional for the former Yellow Jacket since he was all smiles when he learned that he made the roster.
Thomas called his mother after learning the news and described the call by saying: “I had talked to my mom and it was very emotional on both ends. She said she knew this day was gonna come, that she was proud of me, and that she loved me. It’s something I’ve been working on for the past year. I’m just happy and ready to work.”
Emotions are one thing, but the future is bright for Juanyeh Thomas as he takes the torch for the Dallas Cowboys.
Expectations for this season
Coming in undrafted, he took advantage from day one by soaking knowledge behind Donovan Wilson, Malik Hooker and Jayron Kearse. This was crucial to Thomas’ growth, which expanded the chance that he has now. However, Thomas put in the work and is expected to be called up when he gets the chance to play in the regular season. Thomas will indeed be the “Hidden Gem” for Dan Quinn’s defensive backs.
The expectation for Thomas is to help the Dallas Cowboys remain one of the best defenses in the NFL. He can do that when he gets his name called up to be a starter in the near future. At this point, Thomas is just getting started by scratching the surface of his potential in the NFL. He will finally get let loose as he will get to shine that star to make a big play on the field.
Main Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
