A standout at Oklahoma drafted third overall in the 2010 NFL Draft, Gerald McCoy grew up watching the Cowboys.
Hence, the appeal of joining America's Team was a prevailing one when the defensive lineman agreed to a deal with Big D.
"Overall, it's the star," McCoy said on Sirius XM NFL Radio. "I grew up two and a half hours away in Oklahoma City. Some portion of everybody at some point supported the Dallas Cowboys. Because it's all we had."
Coming off a single-season stay with the Panthers, McCoy was a standout for years with the Buccaneers during a nine-year run that included six straight trips to the Pro Bowl. Those Pro Bowl trips also aided him in his Dallas destination as he built a relationship with Cowboys pass rusher Demarcus Lawrence there and also came to admire coach Mike McCarthy, who coached him at a Pro Bowl.
But McCoy's decision was made all the easier by his familiarity as a youngster with the 'Boys.
"It's almost like a dream come true to play for a team grew up watching," he said.
Of course, there's also the knowledge of just how many star players there are with stars on their helmets. At 32 years old, McCoy sees it as a perfect fit at this point of his career.
"It was really a no-brainer -- and they have so much talent," he said. "It's just a perfect situation for me to finish up."
