“This is the healthiest I’ve felt the last two years,” he said. “I finally got my right knee cleaned out, so everything is fixed, and fingers crossed I can stay on the field and stay healthy.”
Game-day conditions are set to suit the Cowboys, with the forecast temperature of 28 degrees set to make it the hottest February day in Vegas for 40 years.
Taumalolo was last in the US a decade ago, when he and Valentine Holmes – who is also in town with St George Illawarra – tried their luck at an NFL combine. Holmes returned a few years later for a second crack, and featured in four pre-season games with the New York Jets before being released.
Taumalolo passed on the chance of a second trial, and inked the lifetime deal with the Cowboys.
“I saw Val and we spoke about how crazy it was to think the last time we were here together, we had the NFL combine stuff happening,” Taumalolo said.
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“I was meant to come back, but I had a big decision to make with the Cowboys. Val chanced his hand and came here [a few years later].
“Do I have a bit of regret? Maybe slightly. I would have been curious to see how I went. There were a few teams that wanted to do an individual [assessment].
“But I signed the deal here. I wouldn’t change it again if I went back. I enjoy playing for this club, I love giving it my all, and hopefully I can do that the last two years.”
