10 things to know about Cowboys’ Terence Steele, including his versatility on the O-line

Here are 10 things to know about Cowboys offensive tackle Terence Steele.

1. The basics

Born: June 4, 1997

Height: 6-foot-6

Weight: 310 pounds.

College: Texas Tech

2. Big money

Despite an injury-shortened 2022 season, the Cowboys were willing to commit long-term to the Texas Tech product. In Sept. 2023, the Cowboys and Steele agreed to a five-year, $86.8 million extension.

The deal features $50 million guaranteed and, with certain incentives, can reach a maximum value of $91.8 million. Steele is under contract through the 2028 season.

3. OL Masterminds disciple

Nowadays, most NFL offensive linemen work on their craft with individual trainers. Steele spends his time working up his skills with Duke Manyweather at OL Masterminds. Manyweather’s training facility isn’t too far from the Cowboys’ training grounds, sitting across the street from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco.

Along with Steele, other notable OL Masterminds clients include Zack Martin, Tyler Smith and rookies Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe.

4. Learning from struggles

Steele endured a rough patch after returning from his injury-affected 2022. After a loss to Philadelphia where he gave up 12 quarterback pressures, Mike McCarthy remained firmly in Steele’s corner.

“Anytime a player has a major joint injury, that first year back, it’s a challenge,’’ the Cowboys head coach said. “There’s no doubt. I don’t want to give you the specifics, but there’s things that he has to continue to work on because of the injury, the surgery and things like that.

“He’s working through it. He won’t make any excuses, but that’s part of coming back that first year.’’

5. Flex your wins

Steele has no problem posting his highlight plays. He’s done so on his Instagram page.

6. College success

Steele was a captain in his final two years at Texas Tech and garnered honorable mention All-Big 12 as a senior on Texas Tech’s 2019 offensive line that only surrendered 18 sacks in 531 pass attempts. He was also on the All-Big 12 Freshman second team in 2016 as a redshirt freshman. He started all 12 games that season for the Red Raiders.

7. Blocked for a future star in college

The offensive lineman didn’t immediately hit the field when he moved to Lubbock, redshirting the 2015 campaign. When he did take the field, he got to work with a gunslinging quarterback named Patrick Mahomes.

In his first collegiate season, Steele was tasked with protecting Mahomes’ blind side at left tackle. According to Texas Tech Athletics, Steele was the first freshman since 2000 to start at left tackle for the Red Raiders. He closed out the year at right tackle, building up the versatility that he displays in Dallas.

“We’re all extremely proud of what Patrick Mahomes has done this past season and the season before that. He really put Texas Tech on the map. I know just looking back he’s given a lot of people from Tech hope that we can make an impact in the NFL kind of like he has. Even kids from Texas,” Steele told the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Tyler Dragon in 2020. “I’m blessed to have seen his work ethic and kind of get to know him a little bit. I even got to block for him.”

8. Chose to stay closer to home

Steele grew up near the San Antonio area and went to high school at Cibolo Steele. When his name wasn’t called in the 2020 NFL draft, he had a choice to make on his future as a rookie free agent.

With the Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders as options, Steele chose to stay in Texas.

9. Can do a little bit of everything

Cowboys fans have seen plenty of Steele’s blocking abilities, but they probably weren’t expecting to see the player display his receiving abilities.

Steele came down with a 1-yard touchdown reception against Washington on Dec. 26, 2021, helping the Cowboys build up a big lead en route to the postseason. The lineman became the 18th different player to score a touchdown for the Cowboys in that campaign. He became the team’s first offensive lineman to score a touchdown since 1968.

10. Held in high regard

Since he joined the team, Steele has impressed the Cowboys with consistent improvement in his level of play. In a 2022 interview with The Player’s Lounge podcast, Cowboys VP of player personnel Will McClay spoke highly of the player’s ability to handle multiple assignments as an undrafted rookie.

“Played a lot of snaps his rookie year. He came back stronger, he came back more determined and that’s the unique part about him. He played both sides and yeah, it’s not ideal but at the end of the day, there’s not enough quality offensive linemen to go around 32 NFL teams,” McClay said. “People make mistakes drafting guys in the first round and second round and don’t get the level of performance that we got from Steele.”

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