IRVING, TEXAS ? Vinny Testaverde could be retired now, maybe even starting a second career in the high-paying, tackle-free world of broadcasting.

But he just couldn’t imagine himself in a suit instead of pads, not when he thought he still could help an NFL team. So he reunited with his former coach Bill Parcells in Dallas to compete for the starting quarterback job.

Good call, Vinny.

Two games into the season, Testaverde is entrenched as the Cowboys’ starter, and he’s the NFL’s passing leader with 677 yards. Having already earned the admiration of teammates, fans and team owner Jerry Jones, next up is the chance to impress a national audience Monday night.

While Testaverde is leery of the Washington Redskins and their blitzing defense, there’s another aspect of the game that concerns him.

“It’s past my bedtime,” he said Wednesday, smiling.

With his 41st birthday looming, Testaverde is having fun using his age as a punch line. He thinks it has been an asset on the field, too.

“We assume people are going to blitz us because we have an old quarterback,” Testaverde said. “But if you’re able to make plays when they blitz, then people will stop blitzing. I’d say we’ve hit probably 90 percent already. … I can only remember one incompletion.”

No, that last line wasn’t a joke about a foggy memory. In fact, what Testaverde remembers from the last 17 seasons in the NFL is a big reason why he’s thriving now.

His understanding of the game made it easier for him to take over when incumbent Quincy Carter surprisingly was cut four days into training camp.

Dallas quarterback Vinny Testaverde passes against Cleveland on Sunday in Irving, Texas. Testaverde, a 17-year veteran, is thriving with the Cowboys, throwing for an NFL-best 677 yards through two games.