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Terence Steele
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Terence Steele (born June 4, 1997) is an American professional football offensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Key Information
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Early life
[edit]Steele attended Byron P. Steele II High School. As a senior, he was the starter at left tackle, receiving All-District 25-6A and San Antonio Express-News first team All-Area honors.
Steele was considered a three-star recruit, the No. 1,844 overall prospect, the No. 179 offensive tackle and the No. 239 overall player in Texas in his class, according to the average of the major recruiting services. He committed to Texas Tech over offers from BYU, North Texas and UTSA.[1]
College career
[edit]As a redshirt freshman, Steele played under future NFL head coach Kliff Kingsbury. He started the first 10 games at left tackle, before being moved to right tackle for the last two contests.[2] Steele blocked for future NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes, while contributing to the team leading the nation in passing yards and total offense.[3] He was named to the All-Big 12 freshman team.[1]
As a sophomore, Steele started all 13 games at right tackle, contributing to the team ranking in the top 25 nationally in passing yards (ninth), total offense (16th) and scoring (23rd).
As a junior, he started all 12 games at right tackle, contributing to the team ranking in the top 20 nationally in passing yards per game (third), total offense (12th), scoring (16th) and sacks allowed (sixth).
As a senior, Steele was forced to miss the first two games due to a preseason injury, breaking his streak of 37 consecutive starts. He started 10 games at right tackle and was part of an offensive line that allowed 18 sacks during his senior season.[3] Steele finished his college career with 47 starts and received honorable-mention honors as All-Big 12 following his junior and senior seasons for the Red Raiders.[4][1] At the end of the season, he participated in the 2020 Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine.[3][2]
Professional career
[edit]| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 5+7⁄8 in (1.98 m) |
312 lb (142 kg) |
35+1⁄8 in (0.89 m) |
9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m) |
5.03 s | 1.74 s | 2.92 s | 5.08 s | 27.5 in (0.70 m) |
8 ft 10 in (2.69 m) |
27 reps | ||
| All values from NFL Combine[5][6] | ||||||||||||
Steele was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dallas Cowboys after the 2020 NFL draft on April 27.[7]
2020 season
[edit]Because of the season-ending injury to starting right tackle La'el Collins and backup Cameron Erving having to miss time with different injuries, Steele was pressed into the starting lineup for the Cowboys, becoming just the fourth offensive tackle in the Super Bowl era, and the ninth in league history, to start at least 14 contests as an undrafted rookie. In the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams, he was able to hold his own until giving up a crucial sack on the final drive, as the offense was attempting to tie the contest. In the third game, against the Seattle Seahawks, he was replaced in the third quarter with Zack Martin. In the fourth game, against the Cleveland Browns, he gave up a sack that caused a fumble, in what proved to be a game-changing play in the 38–49 loss. He was benched for the tenth game, against the Minnesota Vikings, with Martin taking over the right tackle position. In the eleventh game, against Washington, both Martin and Erving went down with injuries, so Steele was forced to start the rest of the season. Although he mostly struggled with his play, the team continued to start him and was able to show improvement in the final month. He played in all 16 games, with 14 starts.
2021 season
[edit]_(cropped).jpg)
As of November 28, 2021, Steele had started 10 games for the Dallas Cowboys during the 2021 season, including even after longtime starter Collins returned from suspension.[8] From weeks 2–8, he started at right tackle, and then started three games at left tackle after Tyron Smith was injured.[8] Steele missed the week 13 game after being placed on the COVID-19 list.[8] On December 26 against the Washington Football Team, Steele reported as an eligible receiver and caught his first NFL touchdown from Dak Prescott.[9]
2022 season
[edit]In 2022, he started 13 games at right tackle. In Week 14 against the Houston Texans, Steele suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee, forcing him to the Reserve/Injured list and ending his season. A combination of Jason Peters and Josh Ball replaced him in the starting lineup.
2023 season
[edit]On September 3, 2023, Steele signed a five-year, $86.8 million contract extension with the Cowboys.[10] He started all 17 games at right tackle for the first time in his career and was a part of the league's top scoring offense (29.9 points-per-game) and the fifth-best in yards-per-game (371.6). In Week 10 against the New York Giants, he contributed to the offense posting 640 total yards, the second most yards gained in a single-game in franchise history. Even though the team was upset in the Wild Card playoff game against the Green Bay Packers, he helped the offense gain 510 total (second in postseason team history) and 37 first downs (first in postseason team history).
2024 season
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In 2024, he started all 17 regular season games at right tackle and was the only Cowboy to play 100% of the offensive snaps on the season. He contributed to Rico Dowdle becoming the first undrafted free agent in team history to rush for 1,000 rushing yards in a single-season.
Regular season statistics
[edit]| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Offense | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Snaps | Pct | Holding | False start | Decl/Pen | Acpt/Pen | ||||
| 2020 | DAL | 16 | 14 | 970 | 85% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 2021 | DAL | 16 | 13 | 912 | 79% | 2 | 3 | 0 | 8 | ||
| 2022 | DAL | 13 | 13 | 818 | 94% | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 2023 | DAL | 17 | 17 | 1177 | 99% | 2 | 4 | 1 | 5 | ||
| 2024 | DAL | 17 | 17 | 1171 | 100% | 1 | 6 | 0 | 7 | ||
| 2025 | DAL | 8 | 8 | 545 | 99% | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| Career | 87 | 82 | 5,593 | - | 9 | 20 | 4 | 33 | |||
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Johnson, Jarret (April 25, 2020). "Terence Steele signs undrafted free agent deal with Cowboys". 247 Sports. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
- ^ a b Melo, Justin (March 13, 2020). "Meet Terence Steele, Texas Tech's gem of an OT prospect". Draft Wire. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ^ a b c Dragon, Tyler (February 29, 2020). "Steele enjoyed 'unbelievable experience' at NFL combine". Lubbock Avalanche Journal. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ^ Paterik, Bryce (March 31, 2020). "Texas Tech prospects most likely to be selected in the 2020 NFL draft". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ^ Zierlein, Lance. "Terence Steele Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
- ^ "Terence Steele, Texas Tech, OT, 2020 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
- ^ Shannon, Chase (April 25, 2020). "Steele's Terence Steele gets deal with Cowboys". News 4 San Antonio. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ^ a b c Patra, Kevin. "Cowboys place RT Terence Steele on COVID-19 list; starter to miss Thursday vs. Saints". NFL.com. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
- ^ Auping, Jonny (December 27, 2021). "Elliott Scores Twice, Retrieves Steele's TD Ball". www.dallascowboys.com. Arlington, TX: Dallas Cowboys. Archived from the original on December 27, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
- ^ Smith, Coral (September 3, 2023). "Cowboys, RT Terence Steele agree to terms on five-year, $86.8 million extension". NFL.com.
External links
[edit]Terence Steele
View on GrokipediaEarly life and high school
Early life
Terence Steele was born on June 4, 1997, in Cibolo, Texas, a suburb in the San Antonio area.[8][1] He was raised in a Texas household by his mother, Stephanie, and stepfather, Patrick Scrogin, following the separation from his biological father, Terence Steele Sr.; the family includes two younger sisters, Kaylee and Paige.[9] Due to his stepfather's career as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot, Steele experienced frequent moves during his early childhood before the family settled in the San Antonio region.[10] His initial interest in football developed through participation in local youth leagues and multiple sports, fostering his athletic foundation in a supportive family environment.[11] Prior to high school, Steele attended local schools in the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District.[12]High school career
Terence Steele attended Byron P. Steele High School in Cibolo, Texas, where he developed as an offensive lineman during his high school years.[13] As a multi-year starter on the offensive line, Steele focused on improving his technique and physical conditioning, transitioning from limited playing time as a junior to a key contributor by his senior season.[14] In his senior year of 2014, Steele anchored the left tackle position for the Steele Knights, helping the team achieve a 13-2 record and advance to the state semifinals in the UIL Class 6A Division II playoffs.[15] His performances earned him unanimous first-team All-District 25-6A honors, recognizing his blocking prowess and contribution to the team's potent rushing attack.[13] Additionally, Steele was selected to the San Antonio Express-News first-team All-Area squad, highlighting his standout play among top prospects in the region.[16] Steele's high school career culminated in second-team All-State recognition from Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine, underscoring his progression as a reliable offensive tackle.[17] Rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals and ESPN, he drew interest from multiple college programs before committing to Texas Tech.[13]College career
Early college years (2015–2017)
Steele enrolled at Texas Tech University in 2015 as a freshman offensive tackle, joining the Red Raiders' program after being rated a three-star recruit. During his true freshman season, he redshirted and did not appear in any games, instead serving as a member of the scout team to develop his skills while preserving a year of eligibility.[13] As a redshirt freshman in 2016, Steele earned the starting role at left tackle and appeared in all 12 games, marking a significant step in his early development. His performance that season led to second-team All-Big 12 Freshman honors from Athlon Sports, recognizing his contributions to the offensive line amid a transitional year for the unit.[13] In 2017, Steele transitioned primarily to right tackle during his sophomore year, starting all 13 games in the new position and solidifying his role as a foundational player on the line. He was part of an offensive line that ranked fourth in the Big 12 Conference for fewest sacks allowed per game at 2.08, allowing just 25 total sacks over the regular season and only one in the final four contests. Over his first three college seasons, Steele accumulated 25 starts, laying the groundwork for his eventual 47 career starts at Texas Tech.[13]Later college years (2018–2019)
In his junior season of 2018, Terence Steele solidified his role as the full-time starter at right tackle for Texas Tech, appearing in all 12 games and contributing to a streak of 37 consecutive starts entering his senior year.[13] His consistent performance helped anchor the Red Raiders' offensive line during a 7-6 campaign that included a bowl victory in the Alamo Bowl. As a senior in 2019, Steele continued as the starting right tackle in all 10 games, bringing his career total to 47 starts, the majority at that position.[18] Elected as one of 15 team captains prior to the season, he provided leadership to a young offensive line unit amid a 4-8 record.[19] Steele's efforts were part of an offensive line that ranked first in the Big 12 Conference by allowing just 1.00 sack per game (12 total), offering solid protection in key conference matchups against teams like Oklahoma State and Texas.[13][20] Following the 2019 season, Steele participated in the 2020 Reese's Senior Bowl, where he showcased his skills against top prospects as part of the South squad.[21] He also attended the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, measuring at 6 feet 6 inches and 312 pounds while demonstrating athleticism in drills that highlighted his readiness for professional evaluation.[22]Professional career
Entry and early seasons (2020–2021)
After going undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft, Terence Steele agreed to terms with the Dallas Cowboys on April 25, 2020, as one of their undrafted free agent signings.[23] He signed a three-year rookie contract worth $2,295,000, with an average annual salary of approximately $765,000, typical for undrafted players seeking to prove their value. As an undrafted free agent, Steele faced intense roster competition during a COVID-19-shortened offseason, with no in-person workouts, organized team activities, or preseason games, forcing him to adapt quickly through virtual meetings and limited training camp reps.[24] Despite these hurdles, he impressed coaches with his athleticism and technique, securing a spot on the 53-man roster and emerging as a key depth piece on the offensive line.[24] In his rookie season of 2020, Steele transitioned to the starting right tackle role due to injuries to La'el Collins and Cameron Erving, starting 14 of the Cowboys' 16 games.[25] He provided solid protection for quarterback Dak Prescott early in the year, contributing to the team's ground game and helping maintain offensive stability amid lineup disruptions, though he faced typical rookie challenges like adjusting to the speed and complexity of NFL defenses.[24] Steele's performance earned him recognition as a surprise standout among the Cowboys' undrafted class, anchoring the right side of the line for over 900 snaps and demonstrating resilience in a pandemic-altered year.[26] During the 2021 season, Steele continued as a starter, appearing in all 16 games and starting 13 at right tackle while rotating with Tyron Smith.[25] His versatility and reliability bolstered the Cowboys' offensive line, which supported a top-10 rushing attack, though he occasionally struggled against elite pass rushers.[27] A highlight came on December 26, 2021, against the Washington Football Team, when Steele caught his first NFL touchdown on a 1-yard tackle-eligible pass from Prescott, capping a drive in a 56-14 victory and adding a memorable moment to his growing role.[28]Mid-career developments (2022–2023)
In the 2022 season, Terence Steele solidified his role as the starting right tackle for the Dallas Cowboys, appearing in all 13 games before a severe injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year. During Week 14 against the Houston Texans on December 11, Steele suffered tears to both his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his left knee, which an MRI confirmed the following day.[5][29] This injury forced Steele onto the injured reserve list, abruptly ending his season and prompting the Cowboys to rely on veteran replacements like Jason Peters to fill the position.[30] Steele's recovery began immediately with surgery in December 2022 to repair the damaged ligaments, followed by an intensive rehabilitation program focused on restoring knee strength and mobility. Medical experts estimated a recovery timeline of 8-10 months for the ACL tear alone, potentially extending to a full year due to the combined MCL damage, but Steele progressed ahead of schedule.[31] By March 2023, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones reported that Steele was exceeding expectations and anticipated his readiness for training camp in July.[32] This accelerated timeline allowed Steele to participate fully in preseason activities, demonstrating his commitment to returning to peak performance without setbacks. Entering the 2023 season as a restricted free agent, Steele's recovery culminated in a significant long-term commitment from the Cowboys, who signed him to a five-year, $86.8 million contract extension on September 3, including $50 million in guarantees.[33][34] He went on to start all 17 regular-season games at right tackle, marking the first time in his career he achieved a full slate of starts and underscoring his complete rehabilitation.[1] This durability provided essential continuity for the Cowboys' offensive line, which had faced disruptions from injuries to other starters in prior years, helping to anchor pass protection and run blocking amid a playoff push.[35]Recent seasons (2024–2025)
In the 2024 season, Terence Steele demonstrated remarkable durability as the starting right tackle for the Dallas Cowboys, appearing in all 17 regular-season games and playing every single offensive snap (1,171 total), making him the only player on the team to achieve 100% participation without missing a play.[36][37] This ironman performance underscored his reliability amid a challenging year for the Cowboys' offense, where he anchored the right side of the line despite facing increased pressure from opposing defenses.[38] Entering the 2025 preseason, Steele encountered a minor setback with a mild right ankle sprain sustained during early training camp practices in late July, which sidelined him for a few days but did not impact his long-term availability.[39][40] He received medical clearance to fully participate in training camp, having fully recovered from prior knee concerns that had lingered from earlier in his career.[41] Through the first eight games of the 2025 season, Steele maintained his starting role, logging snaps in all contests while navigating minor health hurdles, including migraine symptoms that briefly placed him on the injury report ahead of Week 9 but did not cause him to miss time.[25][42][43] Steele's performance in the Week 9 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals on November 3, 2025, highlighted ongoing challenges, as he struggled against edge rusher Josh Sweat, allowing two sacks and contributing to broader protection breakdowns that led to his benching in the fourth quarter in favor of backup Nate Thomas.[44][45] Despite these difficulties, Steele remains a cornerstone of the Cowboys' offensive line, providing veteran stability amid a rash of injuries to other starters, including guard Tyler Smith (knee).[46][47] His continued presence has been essential for quarterback Dak Prescott's protection in a unit forced to rely on younger or backup players due to the team's injury woes.[48]Career statistics and honors
NFL statistics
Terence Steele has played in 88 regular season games with 83 starts through Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season, primarily at right tackle for the Dallas Cowboys.[1] He has recorded one career receiving touchdown, caught during a trick play in 2021.[1] Over his career, Steele has logged 5,641 offensive snaps.[1]| Year | Team | Games Played (GP) | Games Started (GS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | DAL | 16 | 14 |
| 2021 | DAL | 16 | 13 |
| 2022 | DAL | 13 | 13 |
| 2023 | DAL | 17 | 17 |
| 2024 | DAL | 17 | 17 |
| 2025 | DAL | 9 | 9 |
| Career Total | 88 | 83 |