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Justin Durant got the itch to play, Cowboys had need to fill
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
OXNARD, Calif. -- Body clocks do funny things to players. They instinctively know when it’s time for football season.
That’s what linebacker Justin Durant was like this spring when he saw ex-teammates report to offseason conditioning programs around the NFL. He admits he had been thinking about retirement, but that was a thought he'd been having for a few years.
"You just get that itch,” said Durant, who will turn 31 in September. “Once I started looking at TV and seeing everybody going back to OTAs and stuff, I just figured I wasn't done yet. I feel like I still have the ability to play, and I guess this organization felt like I could still play. And I'm going to see if I can still play."
The Dallas Cowboys first contacted Durant, who played for them in 2013-14, in April, before the 10-game suspension of Rolando McClain became official. On July 18, the Cowboys signed Durant to a one-year deal.
Among Bill Parcells’ many favorite sayings is that if a player is contemplating retirement, he’s usually retired already and hasn't told anybody.
“I think any time you talk to a player who is a free agent, you really want to gauge where they are in their career, and some guys say, ‘Hey, I’ve had enough,’” Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said. “But that was not the case with Justin. We reached out to him in the spring and he was working out and he was excited about getting an opportunity. He played some of his best football throughout his career for us. I think he believes in this system, he certainly believes in our coaches and he responded well to it. I think he’s excited to be back in this environment.”
It was the familiarity that drew Durant back to the Cowboys. He started 12 of the 16 games he played for the Cowboys over two seasons. He was a defensive captain in 2014, but his season was cut short because of a biceps injury.
Durant joined the Atlanta Falcons in 2015 as a free agent but was released after the season.
Dallas has the same defensive coordinator (Rod Marinelli) and position coach (Matt Eberflus) as when Durant was first with the Cowboys. Three linebackers also remain from Durant's first tenure with the team: Sean Lee, Anthony Hitchens and Kyle Wilber.
“I knew exactly what I was getting into," Durant said. "I didn't want to go in any type of new situation where I have to just learn everybody over again. I've kind of done that enough in my career. It was the right move for me."
Now he’ll see if he can still play.
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
OXNARD, Calif. -- Body clocks do funny things to players. They instinctively know when it’s time for football season.
That’s what linebacker Justin Durant was like this spring when he saw ex-teammates report to offseason conditioning programs around the NFL. He admits he had been thinking about retirement, but that was a thought he'd been having for a few years.
"You just get that itch,” said Durant, who will turn 31 in September. “Once I started looking at TV and seeing everybody going back to OTAs and stuff, I just figured I wasn't done yet. I feel like I still have the ability to play, and I guess this organization felt like I could still play. And I'm going to see if I can still play."
The Dallas Cowboys first contacted Durant, who played for them in 2013-14, in April, before the 10-game suspension of Rolando McClain became official. On July 18, the Cowboys signed Durant to a one-year deal.
Among Bill Parcells’ many favorite sayings is that if a player is contemplating retirement, he’s usually retired already and hasn't told anybody.
“I think any time you talk to a player who is a free agent, you really want to gauge where they are in their career, and some guys say, ‘Hey, I’ve had enough,’” Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said. “But that was not the case with Justin. We reached out to him in the spring and he was working out and he was excited about getting an opportunity. He played some of his best football throughout his career for us. I think he believes in this system, he certainly believes in our coaches and he responded well to it. I think he’s excited to be back in this environment.”
It was the familiarity that drew Durant back to the Cowboys. He started 12 of the 16 games he played for the Cowboys over two seasons. He was a defensive captain in 2014, but his season was cut short because of a biceps injury.
Durant joined the Atlanta Falcons in 2015 as a free agent but was released after the season.
Dallas has the same defensive coordinator (Rod Marinelli) and position coach (Matt Eberflus) as when Durant was first with the Cowboys. Three linebackers also remain from Durant's first tenure with the team: Sean Lee, Anthony Hitchens and Kyle Wilber.
“I knew exactly what I was getting into," Durant said. "I didn't want to go in any type of new situation where I have to just learn everybody over again. I've kind of done that enough in my career. It was the right move for me."
Now he’ll see if he can still play.