The San Francisco 49ers added another key piece to their defensive front this offseason, acquiring defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa after the veteran spent the first five years of his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys. Now, with the 2026 NFL schedule officially released, one matchup already carries extra meaning for the veteran defensive tackle: facing his former team.

Appearing on the "Richard Sherman Podcast," Odighizuwa opened up about what the longtime 49ers-Cowboys rivalry means from his new perspective.

"Speaking to the rivalry, this is a game that for a long time... it's a game that you've got a picture on a dart board and you're throwing the knife at the picture," Odighizuwa said. "Now I just take down the picture and I put up the other picture and I'm on the other side of it, but the energy is exactly the same."

The intensity surrounding one of the NFL's most historic rivalries is real, and after years of battling San Francisco while wearing a Cowboys uniform, Odighizuwa now finds himself preparing to face his former team alongside the Faithful. Former 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman emphasized how heated the rivalry has become again in recent seasons, noting there has been "legit frustration" on both sides.

"The San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys, that used to be an old rivalry that was very intense," Sherman said. "It's become that again on both sides... It's going to be it's going to be fireworks."

"Oh man, I can't wait," Odighizuwa shared when discussing the highly-anticipated 2026 matchup.

While the Cowboys game may already be circled on the calendar, Odighizuwa also shared excitement about joining and adjusting to the 49ers organization.

"Definitely happy to be here," Odighizuwa said. "It's a great team, a great organization from top to bottom. I feel like it's definitely just a winning mentality over here... I'm just coming and adding to a great team and a lot of great players that's already here."

Odighizuwa also highlighted the early impact of 49ers defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, who was the first coach to contact him after the trade. The defensive lineman expressed excitement his place within San Francisco's defensive scheme, explaining that the system will allow him to play with more freedom.

"He watched all of my tape from last year," Odighizuwa said. "We sat down and he has a plan in mind already... I feel like getting some handcuffs taken off of me a little bit. I'm looking forward to just being able to make plays within this scheme."

Odighizuwa also discussed building chemistry with his new teammates, including Nick Bosa and the rest of the 49ers defensive line group. He shared that several players gathered at Mykel Williams' house during the draft to barbecue and bond as a unit.

As for his goals for the 2026 season, the defensive lineman hinted that 49ers fans may not have seen the best version of him yet.

"For the past five years, I haven't scratched the surface of the player that I am," Odighizuwa said. "It hasn't been put on full display. So, I just plan on putting that on display."