FRISCO -- The friendship between Cowboys center Brock Hoffman and right guard T.J. Bass is as obvious as their differences. One is naturally boisterous, while the other is naturally quiet.
"One wears face-paint, one doesn't," Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer continued, speaking about Hoffman first. "One talks trash to everybody, one doesn't."
Hold on, Brian. Maybe you didn't hear this latest development.
The Cowboys were on a lengthy drive against the Green Bay Packers in Week 3. They were on the cusp of turning what ultimately would be an 11-play, 95-yard drive into a touchdown. It was then Hoffman, the unconditional trash talker, heard something that made him turn his head in surprise. Bass, quiet by nature, started talking trash to the Packers, too.
"OK, OK," Hoffman thought mid-play. "I see you."
The moment was not only a testament to the growth Bass has had during his time in Dallas, but also to the friendship of the guy next to him.
The key to any good offensive line, according to Cowboys offensive coordinator Klayton Adams, is chemistry. Which has made the Cowboys' recent play on the offensive line so impressive.
The Cowboys have run for over 100 yards as a team in each of the first five games, marking the first time since 2016 they've accomplished that feat. Quarterback Dak Prescott has been sacked four times in the last three weeks, including a sack for no loss in the Green Bay tie and a sack where he gave himself up behind the line of scrimmage against the Jets last Sunday.
The Cowboys have only had a fully healthy offensive line in two games this season. This past Sunday, they had four backups starting.
The unexpected deterioration of the offensive line should've been crippling for a Cowboys offense that currently leads the league in yards and is fourth in points scored. Instead, it's been a testament to the team's depth and the relationships the group has fashioned. And there's no better example than the odd couple of Hoffman and Bass.
"As people, you think of a magnet: north and south," said fellow backup lineman Trevor Keegan. "That's how they are. They're always with each other. They're always walking around doing everything together."
Even starting together, too. Hoffman has started on the same offensive line in six of Bass' seven career starts. Conversely, Bass has been on the same line for half of Hoffman's NFL starts, too. Not all of those starts were according to plan. Hoffman noted how he knew all week he was going to make his first NFL start against Arizona in 2023. Bass found out right before the game. The opposite happened later that season when the Cowboys beat the Washington Commanders on the road to clinch a NFC East title.
They've now started two games together this season with the potential for a third on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.
"It's kind of weird how we've ended up starting a lot together," Hoffman said. "And I would say getting those actual game reps together has made our bond stronger and our friendship stronger."
The friendship didn't click instantaneously, however. Bass, in reflection on that time, made it known immediately: "I'm more of a quiet guy. I don't really talk to people."
Hoffman, on the other hand, may be talkative, but he's not the type of extrovert to necessarily seek people out.
"I try to feel people out," he said.
That process took a little while between Hoffman and Bass, Hoffman recalled. Eventually, the two were around each other long enough where their friendship started to grow. The two former undrafted free agents had a similar path to the NFL. For the last three years, they’ve walked the same one side-by-side, being called upon as reinforcements for the Cowboys’ offensive line often.
They’ve gelled so much, Hoffman said, that their on-field bond has become an unspoken one. Hoffman said they know each other’s tendencies at this point. They know the best way to do combination blocks together. They know the best way to help each other gameplan, whether it’s in the locker room — their lockers are right next to each other, by the way — or over the phone away from the facility. They’d probably talk even more, Bass figured, if Hoffman didn’t recently move 40 minutes away from him, he joked with a hint of truth.
"I think it's cool because I know I can trust him and he knows he can trust me," Bass said. "And I think that's a big deal with o-line. Just trusting one another, knowing that your brother is going to do his job as good as they can. And I just have full confidence in him."
The two have also helped each other grow. Hoffman agreed that Bass can balance him out. Bass said Hoffman can bring him out of his shell even in ways he didn't necessarily expect.
One time, Hoffman convinced Bass to go to Cowboys Red River Saloon and Dance Hall in Dallas. The circular dance floor is a stage for those willing to two-step on it and a congested, intimidating loop for those apprehensive to join. You'll never guess which one of the two enjoyed it and which one didn't.
"Took me a good hour and a half before he got on the dance floor," Hoffman said with a chuckle. "He only made one loop."
Bass, a self-described homebody, wasn't thrilled with the experience, but he was willing to go out of his comfort zone because of Hoffman. The same can be said about his recent affinity for talking trash to opposing defensive linemen.
"I've always felt like I've been pretty nasty on the field," Bass aid. "You just kind of feed off what [Hoffman] does]. I don't go to the extreme that he does, but I've definitely taken it up a notch."