Long time coming: Cowboys DE Randy Gregory plays 10 snaps

It was a moment Randy Gregory had thought about for more than a year.

The Dallas Cowboys’ defensive end was on the field playing a football game. Gregory played 10 snaps in Saturday’s preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

“It feels real good,” said Gregory, who was reinstated by the NFL in July after a yearlong suspension for repeated substance abuse. He found out Friday night that he would get some snaps. “I don’t know how to explain it. I haven’t played in an actual game in close to two years. Practice is one thing, but to actually get on the field with guys felt good.”

Gregory hopes to play more next week against the Cardinals.

“I definitely want to kick it up a notch, get the adrenaline going and go out there and make some plays,” he said. “The main goal was to go have fun, get the playbook down and not have any mental errors. I was able to accomplish that.”

Now it’s about getting back to the level he was playing at in 2016.

“It’s something I’ve done for a very long time, so I’m very comfortable with it. There’s a level of confidence you have to have to play at a high level, and I think I’m still trying to get that back,” he said.

Is he ahead of schedule?

“It’s a good sign [that he played in the second preseason game],” he said. “There’s a reason why we handled it the way we handled it. Everyone internally understands, here in the locker room, and there’s a reason behind everything we’re doing. I can only push for what I can push for. At some point, it becomes more about whether the coaches and the training staff feel that I’m ready. It’s not my call to make. I’m for whatever they call. I just have to be ready either way.”

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett was pleased.

“He looked quick and explosive. He looked like himself. He is a really natural pass rusher with a lot of skills,” Garrett said. “Hopefully this will be a stepping stone for more action in the future.”

This story was originally published August 18, 2018 at 10:58 PM.