Linebacker Dee Winters was in the middle of moving into his new home in Arlington, Texas, when he received a call from the San Francisco 49ers—one that would quickly change his NFL future. The team informed him he had been traded to the Dallas Cowboys, placing him just minutes from his new organization.

Still, the news came as a shock to the linebacker, who had spent his first three NFL seasons with the 49ers.


"Honestly, I wasn't expecting it at all," Winters said, via The Athletic's Jon Machota. "I was surprised quite a bit. Everything happens for a reason. I'm excited to be back home, and I get to play for the Dallas Cowboys."


Winters played college football at TCU, just a short drive from his new home and new team. The 49ers selected him in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and he steadily developed into a key contributor.

During the 2025 season, Winters started all 17 games, totaling 101 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, one interception returned for a touchdown, and five passes defensed.

However, San Francisco reunited with Dre Greenlaw this offseason, which would have drastically impacted Winters' playing time. The 49ers ultimately traded him to Dallas in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick.

General manager John Lynch acknowledged the difficulty of the decision.


"Sixth-round pick out of TCU, but Dee is one of the favorite guys in that locker room amongst his teammates," Lynch said. "He's done a lot for us on the field. We just felt like we were in a good position at linebacker, and Dallas has been really interested in him for a long time."

Lynch added that the move could benefit Winters.

"It's a good opportunity for Dee," he said. "I think there's a lot of opportunity for him to shine, and just very grateful for Dee's time here and all his contributions he made to our squad."

Now with the Cowboys, Winters is already adjusting to a new system and role.

"I'm not really familiar with the scheme yet, but from what I'm learning right now, it looks like I'm going to be in a lot of space, and I'm excited about that," Winters said. "The way that I move in open space, and when I don't have to deal with some o-linemen, football is way more fun that way. This scheme fits perfectly for me."

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