Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown revealed this week how he landed the coveted No. 0 jersey, crediting a key assist from an unexpected source: team owner Jerry Jones’ grandson, Paxton Anderson.
Overshown, speaking to reporters at the Cowboys’ facility, said he reached out to Anderson to help advocate for his jersey switch. “I called Paxton and told him I needed his help to push it over the edge,” Overshown said, smiling. “He made sure the right people heard about it.”
Jones’ grandson, Paxton Anderson, joined the Texas Longhorns as a Division I wide receiver in 2020 after a standout high school career at Highland Park and was teammates with DeMarvion Overshown during his time in Austin. Anderson was part of the Longhorns’ roster through the 2023 season and graduated in 2024.
The NFL began allowing players to wear No. 0 last season, making it a popular choice among players seeking a fresh start or a unique identity. Overshown, who missed his rookie campaign with a knee injury, said the number represents a new chapter as he returns to the field.
Many Dallas Cowboys fans believed that owner Jerry Jones and the team’s marketing department were holding the No. 0 jersey in reserve to avoid confusion with the double-zero “00” worn by mascot Rowdy in promotional materials and appearances. However, as Patrik Walker of dallascowboys.com reports, “that was never actually true.”
While Jones initially referred to No. 0 as “Rowdy’s number” and declined DeMarvion Overshown’s request to wear it last season, the real reason for the delay was not to protect the mascot’s branding, but rather due to other internal considerations—such as evaluating which player would be the right fit for the never-before used new number. Rowdy continues to wear “00,” a number not available to NFL players, while Overshown has now made history as the first Cowboys player to don No. 0.
#Cowboys DeMarvion Overshown on how got the news he would be getting No. 0.
Overshown says he called Jerry Jones’ grandson, Paxton Anderson, to help push it over the edge.
(🎥: @dallascowboys) pic.twitter.com/zAd8tTPajK
— Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) May 30, 2025
Overshown, a third-round pick out of Texas in 2024, is expected to compete for a significant role in the Cowboys’ defense this season. He missed his entire rookie year due to a torn ACL. Overhshown previously dawned No. 13, for the Cowboys, coming out making an electric debut in week 1 last season. The former Longhorn tallied up 11 tackles, two QB hits, a tackle for loss and, a sack against the Cleveland Browns.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Texas’ DeMarvion Overshown credits Jerry Jones’ grandson for No. 0