INGLEWOOD, California. — On Sunday, August 11, Tyler Guyton fulfilled a lifelong dream at SoFi Stadium when he made his first official appearance against an NFL opponent as a member of the Dallas Cowboys. The first-round draft pick battled through the final weeks of an illness to compete in the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams.

Guyton has missed the last few practices while he works his way back to full recovery, which he continues to do this week.

“I feel good,” he said after Sunday’s game. “I’m working on my way back.”

Guyton staunchly refused to let his own body get in the way of what he manifested in his mind since he was a young boy in ATX (Austin, TX and the surrounding area, which includes Manor, where he attended high school).

He mounted and rode against the Rams.

“It’s unbelievable, it’s a dream come true,” he said of the first of many games he will play in the Cowboys uniform. “I’ve always wanted to wear the star and now I’ve finally done it. … I was just thinking about how many times I’ve watched the Cowboys play. I’ve really been watching for years and now to finally be able to play myself is super cool.”

“I know my family is super excited about it, I’m super excited about it and I just wish we had won.”

Although the Cowboys ended up losing a close game 13-12, what Guyton was able to do in SoFi despite not being 100 percent healthy has to be seen as a major win when it comes to selecting him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Guyton only started 21 snaps (33%) on Sunday, despite being limited to the number of pitches, but he had an impact on almost every one and was not fazed by the noise of the spectators on the street.

After all, he’s a graduate of TCU and Oklahoma and is used to the insanely loud noise of opposing fans.

“It’s like a head start,” Guyton said of his college programs, which also prepare him for NFL stadiums.

However, one of Guyton’s moves stands out in the film.

On the Cowboys’ second drive of the game, he ran quarterback Trey Lance 19 yards for a third-down conversion by knocking the defensive end out of the play—for example, he literally ran him five yards toward the right side of the offensive line to clear the way for Lance on the left.

It didn’t seem like the speed of the NFL was too much for him at all.

“We’re very good at being a lot faster, so this was a lot easier,” he said.

One can only imagine what Guyton would do if he were not physically disabled by a virus.

“I think I did pretty well and got the job done,” Guyton said. “Of course it was tough, but I had butterflies in my stomach the first time I played. It was the first time I met anyone.”

What helped him, he said, was seeing the other offensive linemen in Inglewood do their best.

“I love every single guy in the room and I love their physicality,” he explained. “They play for the name on the front and back of their jerseys and we play for each other. To see my brothers out there fighting and battling every game — that energizes me.”

Considering how quickly he adjusted back to the left tackle position, how much effort he showed during the summer, and how he performed in training camp and the season opener, you’d think the Cowboys feel the same way.

Guyton gives them energy.