Rashan Gary says he’s chasing greatness with Dallas Cowboys

Rashan Gary wants his name to mean something in Dallas.

The Cowboys sent Micah Parsons to Green Bay before the 2025 season started and that move left a hole at edge rusher.

This offseason the team picked up Gary from the Packers for a fourth-round pick and he’s stepping into a role with big expectations.

Gary spent seven seasons in Green Bay after the Packers picked him in the first round.

He signed a four-year deal worth $96 million back in 2023 and has racked up 46.5 sacks over his career.

Now he’s got one goal in mind and it’s not just showing up.

Gary wants to leave a legacy

“I’m trying to be great,” Gary told Joseph Hoyt of The Dallas Morning News. “That’s my thing. I’m not just here to say I played in the NFL. I want to be a dominant factor. When I hang up my cleats, I want people to say, ‘Man, Rashan Gary was blah, blah, blah,’ whatever the case may be. It’s my legacy. It’s what I’m going to leave my kids. It’s bigger than me now.”

That kind of talk fits a guy who’s already becoming more than just a player on the roster. Gary’s taken on a mentor role with Dallas’ younger pass rushers, Donovan Ezeiruaku and Malachi Lawrence.

The trio figures to work as an edge rusher-by-committee this fall instead of leaning on one star.

Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer noticed the shift too. He called Gary a “grown-ass man” when asked about how Gary carries himself around the building.

Playoff experience sets him apart

Dallas hasn’t made the playoffs the past two seasons. Gary has a different track record.

He’s played in nine postseason games across his seven years in the league and the 2022 season is the only one he watched from home.

That kind of experience matters to him and he wants his new teammates to feel it too.

“You see what football brings to you, then you understand that you can’t play this game lightly,” Gary said. “You can never cheat the game, and I’m a big believer in that and the football gods. So just understanding the things that football has brought to me and how it’s changed my life. I owe it all, and that’s all I ask of you.”

For a Cowboys team still figuring out life after Parsons, that mix of production and leadership could go a long way.

Gary isn’t trying to replace anyone. He’s just trying to build something of his own.

Key takeaways

• Dallas traded for Rashan Gary this offseason after sending Micah Parsons to Green Bay
• Gary is mentoring young pass rushers Donovan Ezeiruaku and Malachi Lawrence
• Gary has reached the playoffs in six of his seven NFL seasons