His first NFL start would’ve been meaningful no matter which opponent the Dallas Cowboys faced, but for Asim Richards, lining up against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday carried extra significance.
And that’s not just because he played well enough to ignite a potential competition for playing time on the offensive line.
The 24-year-old tackle grew up in Philly. Alongside his family, he spent countless childhood weekends rooting for the Eagles and remembers seeing the team’s logo plastered across his city.
So it was special for Richards to know his grandmother and aunts spent Sunday inside AT&T Stadium cheering for the Cowboys instead of the rival Birds, despite Dallas’ 34-6 loss. And it was memorable playing left tackle and blocking veteran defensive end Brandon Graham, a charismatic player the Eagles drafted when Richards was a 10-year-old fan.
“It was a real surreal moment to be able to start against the childhood team,” Richards said Wednesday. “Watching the Eagles was always a thing. Had it on the TV just about every Sunday. It was just something we did in our household. A lot of those guys, like Brandon Graham, he was there for a while. I grew up watching him play.”
Richards, a Cowboys fifth-round pick out of North Carolina in 2023, made clear that he wasn’t in awe on the field. He played hard and confidently. And he played well, according to his coaches.
The young left tackle earned compliments from coach Mike McCarthy and a respectable 59.7 overall grade from the NFL rating service Pro Football Focus. That’s better than the season average grade for first-round rookie Tyler Guyton, who had been starting at left tackle for the Cowboys before he missed Sunday’s game with a neck and shoulder injury.
With Richards impressing, Guyton battling ailments and sixth-year veteran Chuma Edoga nearing a return from injured reserve, McCarthy said he expects “healthy competition” for playing time at tackle.
Richards appeared to put himself in contention for playing time by holding his own against the Eagles.
“I was impressed with him,” McCarthy said Monday. “I thought he did a good job. He didn’t affect the way the game is called, which I think it’s important anytime a young player goes in there, especially at left tackle. I was pleased with his performance.”
Richards’ play against the Eagles gave coaches a positive to consider as the Cowboys (3-6) aim to snap a four-game losing streak Monday against the Texans (6-4).
“Anytime you have a young player, especially a left tackle, against a good pass rush team, and you’re not … feeling issues and problems, it’s really a good thing,” offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said of Richards. “[He’s a] talented young player, [has] great versatility, uses length. I thought he did a nice job.”
Richards said he “wished he had some plays back” from his first start but mostly thought he put together a strong showing. The opportunity was a long time coming.
As a rookie, Richards served as a reserve lineman who could play guard or tackle but never started. He continued training at both spots through this year’s preseason and remained a backup early in the year.
It was challenging at times to remain patient while others climbed the depth chart, Richards said.
“Earlier in the year, I was not too pleased about not playing, especially in the Steelers game when Tyler Guyton got hurt,” Richards said. “But I’m like, ‘All right. I’m going to wait my turn, I know it’s going to come.’”
It arrived Sunday against the team Richards watched as a kid.
While Richards said his first start against a familiar opponent was emotional, he didn’t get overwhelmed mentally or physically. He said he felt ready to play and proved he deserved to be on an NFL field.
He didn’t seek out Graham after the game for a heartfelt conversation, either. The Eagles 15th-year defensive end is no longer a role model Richards watches on television — he’s a division rival.
“I didn’t” talk to Graham, Richards said with a smile and chuckle. “We’re going to see him again, so I can’t do that.”