The Dallas Cowboys are riding momentum again. After snapping their skid in Week 5, they’ve clawed their way back into rhythm and are now chasing their third straight win as they roll into Bank of America Stadium to face the Carolina Panthers. Confidence is growing in Dallas—but tempers clearly are, too.

Moments before kickoff, things got heated on the field. A post on X by Dallas reporter Calvin Watkins revealed that Cowboys rookie linebacker Marist Liufau clashed with a member of the Panthers’ football staff during pregame warmups. The altercation escalated quickly enough that players had to step in and separate the two. Center Brock Hoffman reportedly joined the fray as tensions spilled over, adding fuel to what was already shaping up to be a charged atmosphere.

For a Cowboys team trying to maintain composure and build a legitimate streak, this wasn’t exactly the pregame image they wanted. But it does show one thing clearly—Dallas has its edge back. The Carolina Panthers are looking to keep their home-field momentum alive—and there may be no better motivation than facing an old friend turned rival. After their dramatic 27–24 win over the Miami Dolphins, the Panthers are chasing back-to-back victories as they host the Dallas Cowboys in Charlotte.

 But beyond the game itself, one storyline is stealing the spotlight: Rico Dowdle’s revenge game.

Dowdle, who spent five seasons in Dallas, made history in 2024 as the first undrafted player in Cowboys history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season. Yet when free agency rolled around, Dallas let him walk—signing Javonte Williams instead. The 27-year-old landed with his hometown Panthers on a one-year, $2.75 million deal, and he hasn’t looked back since.

Last week, he erupted for 206 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries, averaging over nine yards per rush, and earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. After the game, Dowdle didn’t hide his excitement about facing his former team next. “They gotta buckle up,” he warned reporters. “It’s going to be a physical game. Buckle those chinstraps up tight—I’m coming.”

The quote immediately went viral, making its way back to Dallas.

Jerry Jones reacts to Rico Dowdle’s warning

And it didn’t take long for Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to chime in with his trademark humor. When asked about Dowdle’s “buckle up” comment, Jones told 105.3 The Fan’s Kristi Scales: “I can’t even get our guys to come to the field—they’re shaking so bad.” Head coach Brian Schottenheimer joined in too, playfully responding in his Monday presser: “I know we’re going to have to buckle up. We’ll bring our seat belts, Rico—and buckle up.”

Inside the locker room, players had mixed reactions. Some, like Pro Bowl tight end Jake Ferguson, brushed off the trash talk entirely: “That’s cool. Some people have fire in their heart. That’s cool.”

Still, for a few Cowboys defenders, Dowdle’s comments lit a competitive spark. Veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark, acquired in the offseason trade that sent Micah Parsons to Green Bay, made his stance clear: “Man, he’s gotta back it up. We ain’t play them yet, so he’ll see what he’s playing against. Trenches are gonna win this game.”

Others took a While Cowboys players aren’t exactly foaming at the mouth for revenge, the emotional undertones of this matchup are undeniable. Dowdle’s breakout year in Carolina has made this showdown personal—and his former teammates know it.

Or, as KaVontae Turpin summed up best: “Everybody should talk their stuff, you feel me? Rico’s ready, and he’s got every right to be. But we’re ready too.”

No matter how calm or collected both locker rooms claim to be, Sunday’s clash has “grudge game” written all over it. And if Rico Dowdle truly plans to make the Cowboys “buckle up,” he’ll have to prove it against the defense that knows him best.