‘Blessings come true.’ KaVontae Turpin joins Dallas Cowboys after troubles at TCU
It has been four years since KaVontae Turpin was kicked off the football team at TCU after multiple accusations of domestic violence.
He has bounced around four football leagues.
In addition to finding God and going to church, he says he’s matured as a man and as a person. And he takes full accountability for his past actions.
But now he just wants to move forward to a new opportunity and a blessing after signing a three-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys.
“It’s like a dream come true,” Turpin said after his first practice on Thursday. “It’s a blessing to be here. The Cowboys gave me a wonderful opportunity to come here and prove myself.”
Turpin played seven games for the Horned Frogs in 2018 before he was arrested after witnesses told police they saw him drag his girlfriend across a parking lot as she resisted and screamed for them to call 911.
After initially being suspended, Turpin was kicked off the team a few days later by then coach Gary Patterson when a previous assault charge against him emerged in New Mexico. He was sentenced to deferred adjudication probation and ordered to attend an abuse intervention program.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said the team vetted Turpin’s past before deciding to sign him.
“That was part of it,” McCarthy said. “Obviously, we were aware of the situation with him coming out. I think like things in life, if you get a second chance to do the work … my understanding is he’s responsible, accountable and did the things that he needed to do. He’s well aware of what’s expected of him.
“Obviously, that behavior is not what we’re looking for. This is a great opportunity for him. But yeah, that (background check) was definitely part of the process.”
Turpin said he has learned from his mistakes. He has tried to be accountable. He said the classes he took during the program helped. He said God made a way for him to be here with the Cowboys.
“I changed a lot,” Turpin said. “I got close to God. It helped me become a better man. Going to church. I never did that growing up with my parents. When I started doing that, blessings come true.”
Turpin was on his couch in Fort Worth on Wednesday when he got the call from the Cowboys that they wanted him to fly to Oxnard and join them in training camp.
It was a dream come true but he never gave up after stints in the Fan Controlled League, The Spring Football League and USFL before being blessed by the Cowboys, who are anticipating the diminutive Turpin to serve as a return specialist.
It’s what he does best, as he was one of the top kick returners in the nation at TCU. He returned a punt for a touchdown in each of his four seasons. Turpin averaged 28 yards on 71 kickoff returns with two touchdowns during his career.
Nothing has changed for the 5-foot-7, 155-pound Turpin, who has run the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds.
“I have always been the smallest guy on the field,” Turpin said. “That is no problem with me. Speed kills. That is what it is. I am a speedy guy.”
Turpin flashed his potential in the USFL, catching 44 passes for a league-leading 540 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games to win league MVP as a member of the New Jersey Generals. He rushed for 129 yards and a touchdown. He also had 184 punt return yards.
The Cowboys were the first team to contact him when the USFL season ended.
“The thing that jumps out is he’s dynamic with the ball in his hands,” McCarthy said. “You’ve got to always pay attention to that. When we evaluate personnel, particularly when we talk about special teams as a priority there, you have to make sure the player can also add something on offense. His ability to make plays with the ball, we feel it’s a really good fit.”
The Cowboys are looking to Turpin be a kick and punt returner while also making an impact as a slot receiver.
