Osa Odighizuwa admitted that he wasn’t surprised by the trade that sent him from the Dallas Cowboys to the San Francisco 49ers.
The veteran defensive tackle told ex-NFL star Richard Sherman on his podcast recently that there were “telltale signs” he could be moved before Dallas ultimately sent him to San Francisco for a 2026 third-round pick (No. 92 overall).
“I can’t say it was like super unexpected ’cause you could read a little bit on the wall,” Odighizuwa said. “I’m an observant guy. So there were some telltale signs that it was a possibility. But, like, at the end of the day, I was justlike, ‘Ah, I’m going just keep working and if it happens, something happens and it doesn’t, I mean, cool, you know?’
“There’s still a mix of emotions. I’m not going to lie. I’m definitely happy to be here. You know what I mean? It’s a great team. Like, I had a great time meeting my teammates. Meeting the coaches. Glad to be here working with everybody. It’s a great organization from top to bottom.”
Odighizuwa became expendable in Dallas after the Cowboys acquired defensive tackle Kenny Clark from the Green Bay Packers last August and later traded for Quinnen Williams, creating a surplus on the interior of their defensive line. He had signed a four-year, $80 million contract extension with $52 million in guaranteed money in 2025.
The transition stung, but Odighizuwa found clarity quickly. He said 49ers defensive line coach Chris Kiffin reached out first, and the reception from the organization helped shift his perspective and he met a lot of the coaches and teammates over the next few weeks.
“It hurt initially,” Odighizuwa said of the trade. “But it didn’t diminish my value at all as a player. It just means my value was needed more in San Francisco than it was in Dallas.”
Over five seasons with the Cowboys, Odighizuwa appeared in 84 games and recorded 216 tackles, 17 sacks, 81 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles. Now, he’ll be another anchor for the 49ers’ defensive front alongside Alfred Collins, Nick Bosa and Mykell Williams.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Osa Odighizuwa opens up on his trade from Cowboys to 49ers
