FRISCO, Texas – It is third and six. On the first defensive series, Randy Gregory lines up on the edge in a standup rush position. The ball is snapped. Gregory loops around and plunges up the A gap. Panthers’ center Matt Paradis moves over to try and stop Gregory’s pursuit, but No. 94 was not to be denied. Gregory pushes Paradis back utilizing a speed-to-power bull rush move and brings quarterback Sam Darnold to the ground, forcing a three-and-out.
Gregory’s performance against the Carolina Panthers at AT&T Stadium on Sunday spearheaded the team’s formidable pass rush. The previous week against the Eagles, Gregory did not pop up on the stat sheet with a sack, but his willingness to stay the course in his primary gap assignment, resulted in three drawn holding penalties and pressure in Jalen Hurts’ face. In Week 4, he got home with two sacks, four quarterback hits, and two tackles for loss.
His production – a result of dedication and an unparalleled work ethic. Gregory’s preparation has materialized to success in the trenches on Game Day and garnered attention from coaches. Cowboys’ first-year defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is familiar with the former Cornhusker. During the pre-draft process in 2015, Quinn worked with Gregory at a Lincoln workout while serving as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. He was infatuated with Gregory’s bend and speed. However, destiny was delayed, and at the time, fate had other plans. Gregory was drafted by the Cowboys in the second round (pick 60). The two are now reunited in Dallas and Quinn continues to learn about Gregory’s cerebral mind as the pair work together daily.
“I’d say I wouldn’t have known this is a really sharp guy and has a very good self-awareness of where he’s at,” Quinn described to D210SPORTS. “Way back years ago when I did work him out, I remember just the athleticism and all that. Come to find out here is how hard he works. That part of practice, the way that he goes, it pays forward into the game. One of the sayings you may hear us say is ‘you’ve got to fight like you train.’ He goes hard and having a guy like Tyron [Smith] to go up against on a daily basis, I just couldn’t think of two guys sharpening one another better than those two.”
During the span between their meetings, Gregory battled demons. Due to multiple violations of the league’s substance abuse policy, Gregory made 38 game appearances throughout his tenure prior to the 2021 season. When healthy and active, Gregory was one of the most feared pass rushers in the league with his first-step quickness, but substance addiction hindered his otherwise ascending NFL career. The 28-year-old was conditionally reinstated by the NFL last September, and after fulfilling the mandatory acclimation period, he returned for the final 10 games of the 2020 season. He ranked third on the team with quarterback pressures (16), earning him the second best overall defensive grade (80.5) behind DeMarcus Lawrence, per Pro Football Focus.
Gregory completed a full offseason program in 2021, for the first time since his rookie year in 2015 due to suspensions. Despite a rocky past, a more mature Gregory steps onto the practice field and turf each week. The impact playmaker is in a better state both mentally and physically, drawing well-deserved praise from Cowboys’ owner and general manager, Jerry Jones on 105.3 The Fan.
“I think you’re getting to see him in one of his most opportune moments, and that is his personality, his intellect,” Jones said. “He made the highest SAT score of any player that we’ve ever graded, and, so, he’s really a smart guy. And he’s very articulate. And, so, you get to see the thought that he gives into, not only his game, but really to the people around him. He’s a great example of the fact that none of us got on this Earth without having some issues that we had to work around and overcome. But you have those issues, and they color you, or put an image of you when that’s not you at all. And Randy Gregory is a poster child of that. He’s outstanding, and he’s addressed any issues that he had that had certainly been challenges for him, and he’s done it, well, really so successful and he’s really a leader on this team.”
Gregory has defied the odds and persevered through mental struggles, at a time when “mental health” discussions were not a topic at the forefront in the NFL. He was isolated and condemned in the past for his actions and now, Gregory is being rightfully praised for his strength in overcoming them. His redemptive story is one worth recognizing. Through four games in 2021, Gregory has only scratched the surface. In Quinn’s penetrating one-gap scheme, Gregory continues to thrive at the line of scrimmage.
