Is Shaquille O'Neal a Cowboys fan?
Yes. In his own words, Shaquille O'Neal is a Dallas Cowboys fan.
Shaquille O'Neal Full fan file: every team he roots for, with receipts
“asked Tuesday by Deion Sanders during an NFL Network interview if the Cowboys were still his team. "Always, baby," O'Neal responded.”
Dallas News, September 20, 2017. Backed by EssentiallySports (2022).
Last checked November 4, 2026: the quote still matched the page word for word.
When he was a kid, the Dallas Cowboys won Super Bowl XII in 1978 (1977 season), the year he turned 6.
What has Shaquille O'Neal said about the Dallas Cowboys?
Dallas News reported on September 20, 2017, that Shaquille O'Neal was asked on a Tuesday by Deion Sanders, during an NFL Network interview, if the Cowboys were still his team. "Always, baby," O'Neal responded. That is the clearest statement on record, and it comes from O'Neal himself, not from a third party describing his loyalties. The phrasing matters too: Sanders asked whether the Cowboys were *still* his team, and O'Neal's answer treats it as long settled.
Does Shaquille O'Neal still like the Dallas Cowboys?
The later evidence points the same way. EssentiallySports reported on November 19, 2022, that in a podcast appearance O'Neal revealed he was a huge fan of the Dallas Cowboys. That puts the fandom in public view in both 2017 and 2022, with nothing in between suggesting it ended or is contested. No exact date for when it began is given, so the timeframe is simply that it was current in both of those years.
Did Shaquille O'Neal grow up a Cowboys fan?
O'Neal was born in Newark, New Jersey, on March 6, 1972, and his family moved many times during his childhood, sometimes staying with relatives, including his grandmother in Jersey City. He attended high school at Fulda American in Fulda, Germany, and at Robert G. Cole in San Antonio, Texas, before playing at LSU from 1989 to 1992. His NBA career then ran from 1992 to 2011, with stops in Orlando, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, Cleveland and Boston.
None of those places is Dallas, so the Cowboys are not a hometown or college-town team for him. What is stated is that the Cowboys are his favorite, in his own words. One plain fact about timing: the Cowboys won Super Bowl XII in 1978, the year he turned 6.
Which other athletes are Cowboys fans?
O'Neal is far from the only one. Players who have said it themselves include Luka Doncic, Allen Iverson, Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Paul, Tyrese Maxey, Cade Cunningham, Chris Bosh, Dennis Rodman and Julius Randle. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Russell Westbrook, Cooper Flagg and Paige Bueckers have been reported as fans. LeBron James is listed as a former fan.
Questions people ask
Is Shaquille O'Neal a Cowboys fan?
Yes. He told Deion Sanders on NFL Network in 2017 that the Cowboys were "Always" his team, and EssentiallySports reported in November 2022 that he described himself as a huge fan on a podcast.
What has Shaquille O'Neal said about the Dallas Cowboys?
Asked by Deion Sanders whether the Cowboys were still his team, O'Neal answered, "Always, baby." Dallas News reported the exchange on September 20, 2017.
Did Shaquille O'Neal grow up a Cowboys fan?
No start date is given for his fandom. He was born in Newark, New Jersey, and his family moved often, including time in Germany and San Antonio, Texas, so the Cowboys are not tied to one hometown in his story.
Which other athletes are Cowboys fans?
Luka Doncic, Allen Iverson, Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Paul have each said they are fans. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Russell Westbrook have been reported as fans.