**FRISCO, Texas –** Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown has consistently been a strong presence in the community across the state of Texas throughout his time with the Cowboys.
From back-to-school drives to holiday gift distributions in his home town of Arp, Texas, Overshown took the same approach when United Healthcare reached out to partner with him to help communities affected by the devastating floods in central Texas, nearby where he played his collegiate football career at the University of Texas at Austin.
"Any chance I get to just give back to give a little bit of something that I can, I'm always going to do that," Overshown said. "I know that it's a lot of other people that wish they could probably be doing this, but \[they are\] prepping for the season or getting able to play, so me being off the field, I just make every opportunity that I can to help."
Overshown has been off the field for the Cowboys since December of 2024, when he suffered his second season-ending knee injury in as many years by tearing his ACL, MCL and PCL. Ten months later, he's been doing more and more with the rehab group and is feeling good.
"I'm getting there," Overshown said. "It's definitely to a point where we're getting the last clears from my surgeon, and now it's just easing me back into playing football. The knee is healthy, I'm moving around fast, strong, now just being smart with the timing."
Initially, Overshown was looking at Dallas' annual Thanksgiving game against the Kansas City Chiefs as a potential return date. Is that still what he's targeting?
"I don't want to say that's the target date, but I feel like I'll be playing football before Thanksgiving with the team." Overshown said.
It'd be a much welcome addition to the Cowboys defense, but they're going to take their time with his recovery and not rush him back to the field to ensure he is fully healthy and has the best chance to avoid injury again. Ultimately, the decision will be up to the training and coaching staffs for when Overshown returns.
It's not easy to physically overcome back-to-back devasting knee injuries like that. For some, it can be difficult to get over the mental hurdle as well. In Overshown's case, trusting yourself is the biggest piece of clearing that hurdle.
"I'd say it's hard when the faith is not there. I feel like since I got hurt, I've always been the one to say 'Okay, what do I have to do next to make sure I'm ready for when this point happens,'" Overshown said.
"Throughout the whole rehab, recovery process, I knew that it was going to be a point where I felt good enough to run around and play football again. That's just having faith and trust in the work of the doctors and the work of the trainers and the work that you put in yourself."
As Overshown continues to put the finishing touches on his recovery process, he'll continue to follow in his mother, Felicia, and grandmother's footsteps of always extending a helping hand to those in need.
"I've never heard my mom turn down anything, say no to anybody," Overshown said. "Her last, our last, she always made a way. So I feel like if I ever got to a point in my life where I had anything, I'd never turn down the cry for help or helping others."
His home growing up isn't the only place the Overshown has drawn inspiration to give back from. It comes from within the Cowboys locker room too with Osa Odighizuwa, who was recently named the Week 2 NFLPA Community MVP for hosting a baby shower for single mothers in Dallas.
That inspiration leads to Overshown setting a goal that follows in the footsteps of another one of his teammates: Winning the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, like Dak Prescott and three other Cowboys have done before him.
"It definitely pushes a guy like me who wants to be named a Walter Payton Man of the Year one day to constantly get out there and make sure the community is seeing you put back into the community," Overshown said. "I feel like Osa does great job of doing that no matter what it is, you can see him doing for single mothers or hosting football camps, he does it all. So having a guy like that in the locker room is a great leader to have."