#Meet Danny McCray, former Dallas Cowboys player

Welcome to our Survivor 41 spotlight series! Throughout the preseason we’re going to be taking an inside look at some of the new castaways we’re going to see on this intense, punishing season set  to premiere on CBS on September 22.

Within this piece, we’re talking specifically about Danny McCray! He’s going to be one of the more physical guys on the season as a former NFL player, but there’s also a lot more to him than some of the other players may assume.

Check out our Survivor 41 preview! In the video below we get into the twists this season and some comments Jeff Probst made about what makes it stand out. While you’re watching, remember to also SUBSCRIBE to Matt & Jess on YouTube — we’ll be your go-to place for coverage all season and of course, we want to hear from you throughout!

What stands out about him – He’s a 33-year old retired football player, who spent years with the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears. He was primarily known for his special teams work, which required him to move around the field fast and be strategic with his tackles and his timing. He’s an incredibly hard worker; you have to be to play football professionally, and he also makes it clear that he went back to school and earned his MBA after his sporting career was over. He’s someone who understands determination and is still grounded despite his fame. He also understands adversity; he lost his father at an early age.

What could hold him back? – He compares himself to Ben Driebergen as a player, which has both positives and negatives. Ben’s great at finding idols and performing in challenges, but his win still feels like a hard one to replicate. Danny’s going to need to emphasize his social and strategic game a little bit better; that means making strong alliances and ensuring that people don’t want to vote him out in the event he isn’t safe for a Tribal Council or two.

Our personal pre-season assessment

We’re going to want to root for Danny for a couple of reasons: He lives in Frisco, Texas, for starters, which is really close to where we grew up. Of course, if you grew up close to Frisco, Texas, there’s a good chance you grew up a Cowboy fan. He’s also just someone who seems to be both friendly and hard-working; he also realizes in advance that he’s not going to be able to play a sneaky game. He should last for a while, but he’ll need another strategic gear to win the grand prize.

Related – Be sure to get some other Survivor news, including more spotlights

What do you think about Danny McCray as a Survivor 41 player?

Be sure to let us know in the comments! Of course, we also hope you stick around so you don’t miss any other discussions on the show. (Photo: CBS.)