The Dallas Cowboys have one of the NFL’s top offenses and it’s not hard to understand why. Dak Prescott is playing the best football of his career and they have two elite wide receivers with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. Jake Ferguson is having a career season with defenses focusing their attention on the receivers and the run game has been better anyone could have ever anticipated.
The offense is built around superstars and a quarterback playing at the highest level possible. But there are also a few role players who are quietly excelling and doing all of the dirty work needed to be a top unit. And one such player is Brevyn Spann-Ford, the No. 3 tight end in Dallas.
The Cowboys have a secret weapon with Brevyn Spann-Ford
Almost every elite offense in NFL history has a player or two who plays ony 15-20 snaps a game, but plays a key part on the unit. For the 2013 Denver Broncos, that player was Virgil Green and for the 1999 St. Louis Rams, it was Roland Williams. And for the 2025 Dallas Cowboys, that player is Breyvn Spann-Ford.
Through seven games, Spann-Ford has played just 96 total snaps on offense and against the Commanders, he was on the field for just 15 total snaps. But he made his presence felt with his ability to win in the run game.
On the first touchdown of the game, he drove Bobby Wagner off the goal line and into the end zone for an easy Javonte Williams score. And on a Jaydon Blue run, he ran over a defensive back and cleared out as a massive hole for the rookie runner.
There were several of these plays on tape from Sunday where his blocking ability stands out on tape. Not only is he an above-average blocker at tight end, but he is currently the highest-graded run-blocking tight end (88.8) in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.
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Dallas uses Spann-Ford all over the field and they aren’t afraid to deploy him in any way. Most of his snaps have come as an in-line blocker this season (70%), but they have used him in the backfield as a full-back and out of the slot. His ability to be used everywhere on the field makes him an incredibly valuable blocker and allow Dallas to use several different run concepts and designs.
Should the Cowboys consider giving him more work as the season progresses? It’s not a bad idea, especially considering Luke Schoonmaker has played 66 more snaps this year and has been entirely ineffective. But keeping Spann-Ford in the 15-20 snap range feels like the right amount for essentially a sixth offensive linemen.
Having a player like Spann-Ford is quite the luxury for an offense with so many playmakers because he can do all of the dirty work in the run game and doesn’t need targets to have a successful day. He is just one of the many reasons why this offense is clicking at such a high level right now as he’s doing his job and doing it as well as he possibly could.
Spann-Ford is a huge weapon for the Cowboys and a big key to their success, despite most fans not even knowing what number he wears on gamedays. And I’m sure he would have it no other way.