FRISCO, Texas – The Cowboys made a change at linebacker on Monday night against the Eagles, giving Shemar James the green dot as the man in the middle of Dallas' defense.
James, who is in his second year after being drafted by the Cowboys in the fifth-round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Florida, got the news from Cowboys DC Christian Parker and his position coach Scott Symons earlier in the week to have time to prepare for the role.
"I was ready to go," James said. "Just another opportunity to go out there and maximize my ability and ultimately win the game."
During training camp, James was one of the linebackers that had coach to player communication installed in his helmet, alongside teammates like DeMarvion Overshown and Jaishawn Barham.
Overshown started the year as the green dot, and Barham took over after Overshown suffered a hamstring injury. Even with both on the field Monday night, the Cowboys feel James is their best option at the position.
"One, he's earned the responsibility," Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said of James earning the job. "He's played really, really well from his insertion two weeks ago. I think the just the command and control that he does out there is noticeable. You see him talking to everybody, see him driving the car if you will. I thought he did well. We've got a number of guys that can do it, but at the moment, he's the one that we feel the best about. That's not a shot at anybody else, it's kudos to Shemar."
In the Cowboys' 38-21 win over Philadelphia in Week 7, James led the team with six tackles. In his rookie season, James also led the team in tackles with 91 across 14 games, only six of which he started.
Over the offseason, the Cowboys made multiple moves to beef up their linebacker room by drafting Barham in the third-round of the NFL Draft, trading for LB Dee Winters hours before selecting Barham, and attempted to sign starting-caliber players in free agency but weren't able to land some they had initially wanted. Did James feel forgotten about despite the production from his rookie year?
"I wouldn't say forgot about me, but I'm always here, always available," James said. "I just always stay ready when my number's called and try to execute to go out there and execute to the best of my ability."
During his collegiate days at Florida, James did not wear the green dot and primarily played dime linebacker for the Gators under DC Austin Armstrong. James felt his first in-game action handling those responsibilities went well.
"I think everything went smooth, considering that we were playing away so the crowd noise isn't that much more on defense," James said. "There are challenges when we're at home, you have the crowd noise, you really have to get the guys tighter in the huddle and actually listen for the calls."
A lot of the work that comes with being the green dot for an NFL defense happens in the week leading up to a game in film study throughout the week, which is where James has found his confidence for being able to handle the demands of his new role.
"Von Miller said it best, just getting that inner peace I would say," James said of the preparation. "Getting that inner peace Tuesday through Saturday or Sunday, whenever we play, and just go out there and play free."
It's not all easy and clear all the time, and when that's the case, James pays an extra visit to Symons.
"Anything that I may be in the grey with or may not be 100% certain with, I go to him and be like, 'What do you see here? Is there anything that you see differently than what I see?' And just things of that nature." James said.
The most important part of the role?
"Make sure all 10 guys are all doing the right thing, and make sure everybody's calm, cool and collected." James said.
James said he likes to believe he is cool, calm and collected when he plays. That's translated to his personal life, where he and his wife Erica recently welcomed their first-born child Shemar James Jr. earlier this month.
James' wife went into labor during the Cowboys' Week 4 win over the Texans, so Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones had James ride back to Dallas on his jet following the game in order to make it in time. He did, and now James proudly wears "James Sr." on the back of his #50 jersey as he calls the Cowboys defense.
"It's amazing," James said of being a father. "You may not get that much sleep, but it's just amazing waking up to him, going to sleep to him, just seeing you can create something…"
"He's watching the film with me. He's going to be a dang good MIKE one day."
