The San Francisco 49ers added another key piece to their defensive front this offseason, acquiring defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa after the veteran spent the first five years of his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys. Now, with the 2026 NFL schedule officially released, one matchup already carries extra meaning for the veteran defensive tackle: facing his former team.
Appearing on the “Richard Sherman Podcast,” Odighizuwa opened up about what the longtime 49ers-Cowboys rivalry means from his new perspective.
“Speaking to the rivalry, this is a game that for a long time… it’s a game that you’ve got a picture on a dart board and you’re throwing the knife at the picture,” Odighizuwa said. “Now I just take down the picture and I put up the other picture and I’m on the other side of it, but the energy is exactly the same.”
The intensity surrounding one of the NFL’s most historic rivalries is real, and after years of battling San Francisco while wearing a Cowboys uniform, Odighizuwa now finds himself preparing to face his former team alongside the Faithful. Former 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman emphasized how heated the rivalry has become again in recent seasons, noting there has been “legit frustration” on both sides.
“The San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys, that used to be an old rivalry that was very intense,” Sherman said. “It’s become that again on both sides… It’s going to be it’s going to be fireworks.”
“Oh man, I can’t wait,” Odighizuwa shared when discussing the highly-anticipated 2026 matchup.
While the Cowboys game may already be circled on the calendar, Odighizuwa also shared excitement about joining and adjusting to the 49ers organization.
“Definitely happy to be here,” Odighizuwa said. “It’s a great team, a great organization from top to bottom. I feel like it’s definitely just a winning mentality over here… I’m just coming and adding to a great team and a lot of great players that’s already here.”