A ‘HotBoyz’ sighting in Tampa – what it means for the Cowboys defense

Who or what are the HotBoyz?

According to the HotBoyz official website, “The “HotBoyz” were born out of the 2018 Dallas Cowboys defense. HotBoyz is about brotherhood & passing along that mentality to help our youth break out of the “Athlete” box we are put in everyday.”

Seems wholesome enough. 

Why, then, were Twitter replies filled with discouraged fans who mentioned “curses” and claimed these accessories would ruin tonight's game for the team? 

Some fans simply did not like the aesthetic or the connation of the HotBoyz moniker. 

Other fans have come to associate the HotBoyz with a disappointing playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams during the 2018-2019 NFL postseason. Members of the Cowboys defense had spent all season flaunting the HotBoyz sobriquet, but when they faced that season's NFC West champions, they let fans down in embarrassing fashion. 

“The “Hot Boyz” were anything but,” wrote C.C. Boorman, “as the Rams trampled them for a horrific 273 rushing yards for the game. Nobody on the line had any answer for the Rams’ brand of aggressive football as they passively took a physical whipping and never gave their team a chance.”

The HotBoyz became associated with a version of the Cowboys defense that talked a big game but did not show up when it counted.

Naturally, fans with this recollection were not excited to see a reprisal of the chains and apparel – especially not around the neck of star 2x Pro-Bowl edge rusher Micah Parsons.

Is this HotBoyz 2.0 or…..?

Before this month, the most recent searchable mention of the HotBoyz from the Dallas Cowboys official Twitter account occurred on December 31, 2021. At the time, they were referred to as “Hot Boyz” as opposed to “HotBoyz,” but more on that momentarily.

According to the sparse documented history of the HotBoyz, it was the brainchild of Taco Charlton. (This is another name I've learned generates polarizing reactions among Cowboys fans).

The Dallas Cowboys seemed to support the popularization of HotBoyz as a brand during that 2018 season. After the playoff loss to the Rams, however, mention of them occurred much less frequently. 

Although the origin occurred relatively recently, the group was formed several years before the arrival of Micah Parsons. Hence, why some people were confused to see him donning the mantra. 

So, is this a revival of the HotBoyz? Or were they never truly “dead?”

As it turns out, even though the crowd had dispersed from the bandwagon, the concept itself never went anywhere.

It seems Tank Lawrence has continued to stoke the embers of the HotBoyz just enough to prevent them from completely ashing over. Many fans considered them to be a short lived social subgroup, but they've maintained an official website, built an online merch store, and acquired legal ownership of the HotBoyz sobriquet.

Hot Boyz, Hot Boyzz, and HotBoyz

Outside of the popularity of the group in 2018, the biggest splash the HotBoyz have made in the media occurred in 2020. That January, the San Francisco 49ers promoted digital wallpapers featuring the phrase “Hot Boyzz University.” Kwon Alexander, a 49ers linebacker at the time, had filed a trademark application for the name “Hot Boyzz” and had been using it as a nickname for the 49ers linebacker unit.  

Long story short, for about a week , there were a few tweets about trademark infringement and legal threats made via interview. 

Shortly after that, Tank started using HotBoyz as opposed to Hot Boyz when referencing the Cowboys defensive group. 

Will the HotBoyz help or hurt the Cowboys defense?

I haven't exactly done a through search, but there don't seem to be many Cowboys fans who reference the HotBoyz with any sense of pride or respect. However, as much as fans claim the name is cursed, the truth is things like this are just symbols. Luckily, the meanings of symbols can change. 

Perhaps we shouldn't view this situation as Micah Parsons being tainted by induction into the HotBoyz. Maybe we can look at it as Micah Parsons improving the reputation of the group. 

Fan Perspective

It's unclear whether or not the use of the name and symbol has come along with any attempt at indoctrination of a particular mindset or attitude. Last night, Nix of Pick 6 Sports led an enlightening discussion on this topic during a schedule Twitter Space.

Many participants in the Space are current or former athletes ourselves. We came to the conclusion that while the reappearance of the HotBoyz chains was confusing for fans, it might help someone who will be on the field tonight. They might need this to give them the motivation, camaraderie, and sense of cohesion that they need to be at their best when the Cowboys face the Bucs. 

Sometimes, a team might do something that has no tangible significance but it can impact the moods and minds of team members to improve performance. Leadership experts Bolman and Deal refer to this as motivating group members through the “symbolic frame.” It is a tactic used to improve motivation and commitment while quelling uncertainty or anxiety. 

Uniting under the HotBoyz logo could turn out to be exactly what key members of the Cowboys defense need tonight. Until proven otherwise, that is the idea that I and several other fans are choosing to support. So, technically, it's not the “new” HotBoyz, but not everything needs to be new in order to be improved.