Grandson of Barry Switzer discusses ‘unbelievable’ tryout with Dallas Cowboys
This weekend’s rookie minicamp for the Dallas Cowboys in Frisco allowed for the coaching staff and front office to get their first look at the newest signees fresh out of the NFL draft and in the undrafted free agent market for a three-day session.
Shortly after, those signees will go back home and prepare to arrive back in Frisco in less than a month for the start of OTAs. However, for some this will be the end of the road. Among the 28 participants in the rookie minicamp, six are present on a tryout basis to earn one of the few remaining spots on the 90-man roster.
Of those tryouts, Presbyterian College running back Zach Switzer is among them. A productive backfield weapon in his senior season, Switzer made a name for himself at the FCS ranks last year, but his last name has long been known around the halls of The Star, as he is the grandson of former Super Bowl-winning head coach Barry Switzer.
Simply having the last name and family lineage on the walls in the facility gave the younger Switzer some pause this weekend, as he tries to make the team that his grandfather once led.
“I’m super honored and super grateful and super blessed to have the opportunity to do something like this and achieve one of my dreams,” Switzer said. “Until that happens, I’ll just keep telling them I’m grateful for this opportunity.”
Shortly after the draft last week, Barry Switzer called Cowboys college scouting coordinator Chris Hall, someone he worked with back in the 90s, to see if a tryout spot was open. There was, and the younger Switzer signed up to head to Frisco.
“He didn’t have to do that, and I’m really grateful for that,” Zach Switzer said. “It’s pretty unbelievable. I don’t think I’ve like sat down and taken it all in yet, because we have so much going on. I’m really trying to prove myself and make it out here. I’m putting my front foot forward on the playbook and the plays, everything like that. I think when I get on the plane tomorrow, it’s going to hit me a little bit harder that I got to experience something like this. I’m just really appreciative of the opportunity.”
Switzer has worked alongside undrafted signee Dominic Richardson as the two running backs participating in rookie minicamp with running backs coach Derrick Foster. Switzer emphasized that he’s trying to do every little thing right to get the call back.
“I’m very confident in who I am and my ability on the field,” Switzer said. “But I’ll leave that up to the coaches to make decisions on my ability to play. Whatever I think doesn’t really matter, because it’s up to them completely.”
But even as he tries to prove himself little-by-little, he’s been stopped multiple times as he’s walked around the facility this week by people who worked with his grandfather over 30 years ago.
“From what everybody has told me around here, the most important thing was that he was a good person to everybody and a great man,” he said. “I think people loved him, and that’s what I’m most proud of, his impact on the people around him and the players.”
As of now, Switzer does not have any additional rookie minicamp opportunities lined up.
