Cowboys Fan Favorite Receiver In Job Danger with New Team

FRISCO - If you know Michael Gallup as a person?

You root for him.

The former Dallas Cowboys receiver, an "America's Team'' fan favorite during his time here, battled through personal strife to stake his claim to possible stardom as a rookie, enduring the emotion tied to a brother who committed suicide during Michael's first NFL season.

And at the end of his time here?

It was an insufficient rehab from a knee injury that ended his Dallas stint.

And now?

Gallup already had obstacles to overcome to make his presence felt with the Washington Commanders offense when he signed on for a comeback with the team back in March. 

No, none of that competition has taken place on the field yet, but on paper the Commanders' receiving depth chart does not struggle to impress.

Before the Commanders signed Gallup, they made a blockbuster trade to acquire Deebo Samuel from the San Francisco 49ers. That gave them a strong No. 2 to pair with Terry McLaurin who has emerged into a top-10 receiver himself.

Factor in returning pass-catchers Noah Brown and Luke McCaffrey and suddenly that room is loaded with talent, especially for a player like Gallup who is coming out of retirement.

Washington upped the challenge after drafting Jaylin Lane in the fourth round. Lane has an ability to stretch the field with apparent vertical speed. Those traits match what Gallup brought in his six seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.

Nonetheless, the rich get richer here with the Commanders identifying yet another weapon for Jayden Daniels.

But how does that affect good-guy Gallup's trajectory back to the field?

His competition to get any reps will be fierce not just with the young up-and-comer but also with Brown and McCaffrey representing the strength of this offense's depth.

When Gallup imagined a comeback to the league, he may have not envisioned this steep of a mountain to climb in getting back. Truly the difficulty speaks to the quality of the offense Washington has build.

But the reality here? Head coach Dan Quinn - the former Dallas top assistant - was one of the few who campaigned for Gallup to get his shot. The potency of this offense and creating the ideal environment for Daniels remains paramount, even above how the coach views different players.

Gallup's six seasons with the Cowboys were topped in 2019 with his 1,107-yard, six-touchdown season. But the ACL tear in 2021 derailed all of that.

He left Dallas in 2024 for Las Vegas, signing a one-year deal with the Raiders before abruptly deciding to retire.

Upon signing on in DC, Gallup frankly admitted that all of the change - including the mental and physical challenges of rehab - was burdensome.

"Trying to figure out how to process that and everything,'' he recently said, "I think it was just fast for me, and I wasn't there yet."

He's there in Washington now. And the struggles are not done.

That doesn't mean Gallup cannot jockey for his spot and position himself well through the coming months. It will just take more than a good impression to convince the team he deserves his place at the table. 

And Cowboys fans who know him - as much as they despise Washington - will be rooting for him.