The Buffalo Bills’ signing of former Dallas Cowboys lineman Connor McGovern to a three-year, $23 million contract in March was their greatest free-agent acquisition this offseason.
The 6-foot-5, 318-pound tackle began his career with the Cowboys, who took him in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draught. He played his first four seasons with Dallas.
It’s not simple to relocate to a new place and pick up a new playbook, but “I felt like I was part of this group the first day,” McGovern told The Buffalo News. as I have
𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: The #Bills have signed OG Connor McGovern to a 3-year deal, worth $23M, per @rapsheet.
The Bills get some much needed help on that OL 🦬 pic.twitter.com/f6odOoM6yE
— In The Zone (@nflinthezone_) March 13, 2023
The left guard announced that the construction of his home in Western New York is nearly complete, which means that he and his wife, Delaney, may soon begin throwing pizza parties for the offensive line. The pair began making their own pizza because they were dissatisfied with the variety Dallas had to offer.
McGovern produced 12-inch pizzas built to order, from meat lovers to Buffalo chicken, and brought the Cowboys offensive line over every couple weeks. His coworkers made one last request before he went away since the pizzas were so well received in Dallas.
“I remember all the guys in Dallas were like, “You had to make one final pizza party, one more pizza party,” after I signed here,” McGovern said. So I did it, and I believe I made 16 or 17 different types of pizzas as well as calzones.
McGovern wants to establish this as a Buffalo custom as well. I can start having the men over and starting doing it here perhaps within the next few weeks, maybe a month,” McGovern said.
On December 17, when the Cowboys play the Bills at Highmark Stadium, the Penn State alum will meet his old team.
Bills LG Connor McGovern was absolutely awesome in Week 3 and may have played the best game of his career considering the reps he put on tape vs. Jon Allen.
– First three defeating Allen's signature 'bear' move
– Next two vs. Allen in the 2i
– Independent hands vs. Allen's… pic.twitter.com/BtnMGHEhtn— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) September 25, 2023
Working with the Bills staff, in especially offensive line coach Aaron Kromer, was a “complete 180 (degrees) from Dallas,” McGovern said in a statement to The Buffalo News at the end of August.
“From college on up, it’s been the finest coaching I’ve ever received. I’ve never really had someone take apart stuff the way that (Kromer) does. Hey, just block your boyfriend is not the message. Get your punch (block) up a few inches to the jersey’s V-neck, it says. Just those minor details.
“I may have jump-set four times in my four years in Dallas, but I do that four times in one (practise), period. Now I go after them rather than just waiting for the defender to arrive and waiting and waiting and waiting.