When Mike McCarthy took over as head coach of the Cowboys in 2020, there were a lot of new faces and names to meet, from guys who had played in the Pro Bowl more than once to rookie free agents who had little hope of making the team.

Among the latter was a guy named Terence Steele, an undrafted rookie from Texas Tech who overcame the most unlikely hurdle this year and secured a spot in the starting lineup in Week 1 despite not even being allowed to play a preseason game due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Four years later, here we are. He signed a new contract last year and has 57 career games under his belt. He is preparing for his fifth year and is a mainstay of the offensive line as a right tackle.

But not only is he having a good camp, but according to McCarthy, it is his best camp, which he also claimed in his daily press conference on Wednesday.

“I think he had his best training camp as a Dallas Cowboy,” McCarthy said. “You just see the things he continues to work on.”

With that comment, the media had the opportunity to speak to Steele a few hours later and ask him the same question. Steele agreed with his coach.

“Yeah, definitely. It’s my fifth year now and every year it’s supposed to be better and better and better,” Steele said. “It just feels like I’m growing throughout this process. I definitely feel like it’s definitely my best camp.”
And he certainly wouldn’t have said that last year, especially after he tore his cruciate ligament the previous December.

However, Steele admits that it was not his best season, which is understandable given his quick return from injury.

“It’s been six months since the surgery,” Steele said of the last year. “I’ve had some ups and downs, but who doesn’t come back from an injury as quickly as I do. Guys my size don’t usually come back that quickly. I’m proud of myself and what I’ve done. I haven’t missed a snap and I haven’t missed a practice.”
But this year Steele is expecting an even better season.

“I feel great… 100 percent healthy,” he said. “I’m moving great… my knee isn’t giving me any problems at all. I’m just happy to be healthy and to continue to be healthy.”