FRISCO, Texas — There isn't much more praise that can be heaped upon Osa Odighizuwa this offseason than what he's already seeing, and it's all well-deserved, before and after signing his shiny new four-year deal with the ĂŰĚŇTV worth upwards of $80 million; and his initial reaction was telling of his character.
He first made it clear his mother will never have to work another day in her life, his No. 1 goal in all of this, followed by a declaration that his first action wasn't going to be a purchase of anything material, but instead paying the same invoice he's been paying for years and years now.
"I’m going to work out," he said.
That is Odighizuwa in a nutshell: a loving son and a rabid gym rat continuously locked in on fine tuning his body to remain an impact player in the NFL — looking for new levels heading into 2025.
"The reward for all your hard work is more work," Odighizuwa posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) before sitting down with an exclusive interview with Nicole Hutchison of DallasCowboys.com to detail his plan and outlook going forward. "... I feel like [it's about] building on the body of work I've put in over the first four years. I think there are even more gears I can reach. There are a lot of things I've left on the field, still, in terms of stats and what I'm capable of, in terms of production.
"And, in terms of accolades, there are still goals I want to achieve as well."
With the [re]addition of Matt Eberflus in Dallas, this time as the team's defensive coordinator, the scheme normally attached to the talented defensive coach is one that uses the 3-tech (right of center) as the "engine", in his words, for everything else that takes place on defense.
Seeing as that is the throne owned by Odighizuwa in both the present and the future, it goes without saying his excitement ties directly to what type of opportunities to dominate might await him as early as a few months from now.
"I think a healthy Cowboys' defense is gonna be a damn good defense," he declared.
It also bodes well for all involved that, to this point, Odighizuwa has been one of the most durable players in the entire league, one of few in North Texas able to avoid the bite of the injury bug last season, missing only one game in his entire four-year career, as a rookie.
His regimen, one that includes boxing and pilates in combination with an inhuman amount of hours spent in the weight room, lends largely to that achievement.
Odighizuwa understands completely, however, that rent is always due — daily — and it's the only way he'll achieve a preset goal for the number of years he'd like to play in the NFL.
"The routine that I have, all the things I do to take care of my body, will add longevity to my career," he said. "That's why I've been doing it and why I've operated the way I've been since I've been here. I've been trying to have a long career. That's been the plan. At least eight [years] was the plan, so I think we're still in that realm.
"Once we get there, I'll check in and see how my body feels and if we can keep going."
And, with that, he stepped out of the TV studio and, surprise surprise, got back to work.
