Cowboys BREAKING: 'Stud' Terence Steele Signs New Contract

Terence Steele is a stud,'' says coach Mike McCarthy - and the Cowboys just paid the offensive tackle that way.

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys front office has done it again, working true to its word to methodically create huge new contracts for its collection of young standouts - this time with right tackle Terence Steele the beneficiary.

Steele on Sunday reached an agreement on a new five-year contract extension worth $86.8 million, with $50 million guaranteed. ... with a potential maximum of $91.8 million total.

Also this offseason, among the big deals done: Dallas has signed Trevon Diggs (five years, years, $97 million), Zack Martin: (two years, $36.85 million) and Tony Pollard (one year, $10.09 million). The Cowboys are working on a massive-money deals for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb as well, and are piecing together their cap options in a way that will allow for a new contract for Micah Parsons when he becomes eligible after the 2023 season.

Steele's 2022 campaign was cut short in Week 13 against the Houston Texans after tearing his ACL. But his recovery — which was faster than head coach Mike McCarthy said he had ever seen before — Steele and his "battle wound," as he called the scar from his surgery, are ready to go for Week 1 against the New York Giants.

"Surprised?" Steele said when asked if it was surprising how quickly he recovered. "No, just because I know the work I put in. I'm just happy it all came to fruition."

Steele's grueling return to the field didn't come without both mental and physical hardships. He said the biggest thing that ate him up about the injury is that he wasn't able to be out there with his teammates for the final four games of the season.

Dallas' fourth-year tackle thanked Cowboys associate athletic trainer and director of rehabilitation Britt Brown for all the help in his recovery process. Brown's ability to relate to players and motivate them to work hard is what makes him so good at his job, Steele said.

McCarthy said Steele, who didn't spend a single day on the physically unable to perform list, is in the trainer's room daily, where the medical staff prepares him for the day's practice through a series of range-of-motion exercises and massages.

McCarthy said he's big on first impressions and the former undrafted free agent signing from Texas Tech made a pretty good one in 2020.

"I remember watching him move in the rookie orientation there the pandemic year and just being impressed with him Day 1," McCarthy said. "He hadn't even put the pads on yet."

The Cibolo, Texas, native has started 40 of the 45 games he has played in since his rookie season, but after Year 1, McCarthy knew he could be a decade-long-type player.

Steele was previously scheduled make $4.3 million in 2023 but has more than earned this payday in the eyes of his coach.

"His work ethic and just the way he goes about it, he's always been no-nonsense, extremely coachable, very bright and he's a glue guy," McCarthy said. "He's really connected strongly not only in the O-line room but the locker room. Terence is a stud."