The Dallas Cowboys drafted Caleb Downs in the first round (11th overall pick) earlier this year. His brother, Josh Downs, has already been in the NFL for the last three seasons, representing the Indianapolis Colts’ wide receiver room. With both brothers expected to play in the upcoming season, a clash between them seems evident. But this won’t be the first time Caleb and Josh will scrap against each other.

“[So you’re playing your brother next year?] Yeah,” said Caleb on the St. Brown Podcast. “[Who’s better?] Me. The younger brother always gets a little bit more. You always get a little bit more. [Have you ever won against your brother like in a game?] So I didn’t want to go to high school with Josh.

“At that time, he was my bully. So I went to the rival high school. We played against each other his senior year, my sophomore year, and my freshman year. So I started every game but one game. So his team killed us. But I had a PBU. I had a couple of tackles on him. So it was like they won 42 to three, though. So I can’t even talk.”

Both Josh and Caleb Downs started playing football at a very young age because they grew up in a football family where their father, Gary Downs, and uncle, Dre Bly, both played in the NFL. Josh Downs is three years older than his brother. Yet, they have been engaged in a rivalry since high school.

They went to rival high schools in Georgia. While Josh was reportedly a senior at North Gwinnett High School in Georgia, he played against Caleb at Mill Creek High School. While the date of the game is yet to be revealed, the Cowboys rookie revealed that Josh’s team won the game 42-3, and Josh famously beat him to score a touchdown.

However, when it comes to their collegiate careers, they never faced each other. Josh played his college ball at North Carolina from 2020 to 2022 before entering the NFL. Meanwhile, Caleb played at Alabama (2023) and Ohio State (2024–2025), meaning their college careers never overlapped. But this equation will change soon, as both brothers are now part of an NFL team roster.

As soon as the Dallas Cowboys drafted Caleb Downs, Josh was visibly thrilled on draft night. He even wore a Cowboys hat all evening to support his younger brother. And when his sister questioned why he was sporting a rival team’s gear, Josh explained he was just “being a brother for the day.”

However, in Week 9 of the upcoming season on Sunday, November 8, 2026, Caleb, representing the Cowboys as a safety, and Josh, in the Colts’ offense, will face each other at Lucas Oil Stadium. Josh Downs is entering his fourth year as a WR after posting 2,140 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns for the Indianapolis Colts in 47 games.

On the other hand, it will be interesting to see how Caleb Downs’ rookie season for Dallas turns out to be.