Cowboys' Phil Mafah Scouts Preseason Debut vs. Rams In 3 Words

Dallas Cowboys running back Phil Mafah knew he was going to get some snaps against the Los Angeles Rams, and the rookie did in the 31-21 loss at SoFi Stadium.

While Deuce Vaughn started, Mafah was quickly injected into the game for what was his first taste of real NFL action. While initially a little jittery early, Phil, after that first hit, came back down to earth and settled into the game.

Still, while some see it as a meaningless preseason outing, Mafah detailed that he nearly shed a tear as he soaked everything in pre-game, as he came to realize how far he had come in his football journey.

But how was the game itself for the rookie?

"It was awesome," Mafah said. "Just being able to go out there and compete, first and foremost. Everything started to settle in once I got my first play in, and we just locked into the routine of what we've been doing in practice. So, I felt like just me being there with the guys made everything way more comfortable."

Mafah's trademark bruising running style was on display, so was his ability to weave in and out of tackles as he finished his debut with 36 rushing yards from 10 carries.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer stated that players would be on a pitch count in preseason, so 10 was all Phil managed, but as we move along in preseason, we get the sense that more might be put on his plate.

Now that he's got the taste of NFL football, we bet Mafah wants all the smoke as he gears up to potentially make the final roster.