NEW YORK CITY – No bull rider wants to spend time on the sidelines. In a sport where you only get paid if you ride, time off is far from ideal.

But when 2022 World Champion Daylon Swearingen suffered a concussion at the PBR Ontario on Nov. 23, he knew time off was the medicine he needed.

So he sat for more than a month, getting not just his brain healthy, but also his mind.

Swearingen doesn’t mess around when it comes to his head.

“I’ve had a handful of concussions throughout my year, and looking back at my family’s history and stuff like that, I just didn’t want to make any mistakes and take enough time,” he said. “Mostly, just come back strong and think about after bull riding. Make sure I’m always going to be sane and here with everybody.”

He’s been focusing on brain health and getting himself into the best condition possible, working on quick movements with his head and body and timing it all together. A doctor has helped him improve his sleep quality, and he’s tried to move at a less frenetic pace through life.

“I like to be busy, and that’s what I’m working on, is slowing things down at home,” Swearingen said. “Slowing things down with my brain and worrying about what I can worry about and not stressing about anything else.”

However, while slowing down and being healthy have been his main goals, he did have another goal in mind: to compete at the PBR Monster Energy Buck Off At the Garden, presented by Ariat, in New York City.

The Piffard, New York, native wasn’t about to miss it.

“It was huge,” he said of getting back in time to nod his head inside Madison Square Garden. “The year after I won the world (title), this is the event that took me out. So I’ve just been working hard at home and working on my mind and physical well-being. I’m feeling better than I’ve ever felt and I’m ready to go keep working. You’re definitely going to see it these next couple of weeks.”

Swearingen wasted no time getting back into the swing of things in New York City. After riding Knucklehead for 83.25 points in Round 1 in his first out back, he rode Velvet Revolver for 87.5 points in Round 2 to surge to the top of the leaderboard.

All the while, the New York fans were screaming for their hometown cowboy.

It’s always the same reception for Swearingen at Madison Square Garden, and he thrives on it.

“This is definitely (a home event),” he said. “When they say Daylon Swearingen out there, you can feel it. Any other event, they say it and I might get a little bit, but here, you can feel it, and that’s huge for me. I’m thankful for all the fans here in New York, and I’m ready to go show them what I can do.”

Swearingen leads the field after two rounds and will go for his first event win of the season on Sunday. Action begins at 3 p.m. ET on RidePass on Pluto TV and the PBR’s YouTube channel, X account, and app.

It would be a special one for the 25-year-old. Nine years ago, when he was 16, Swearingen was in the crowd in this arena to watch the action as a fan.

“This is the first PBR I ever watched in person,” Swearingen said. “We watched it in the nosebleeds, way up there. And I flanked a bull here. This is the first place I brought a bull – Roman. Cooper (Davis) rode one of my bulls for 86 that day, and then the other bull ended up being in the short round, bucking Joao Ricardo Vieira and Rubens Barbosa off. It was really cool and kind of my start in the PBR.

“My mom brought me. She brought a truck and trailer here into the city,” he added with a rueful grin. “We brought bulls that year.”

Swearingen is also gearing up to compete in the PBR Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by Camping World, next weekend at the PBR Chicago on Jan. 10. His Carolina Cowboys take on the Nashville Stampede in a six-on-six rivalry game -- the Smoky Mountain Showdown -- to close out Round 1 in the Windy City.

“I’m excited to get back into it,” he said. “I love the individual sport too, just having great sponsors there. But having the boys supporting me again and knowing that they’re there, even through the individuals, is going to be big, and I think it’s going to be big for Carolina, too.”

Ultimately, Swearingen isn’t getting too far ahead of himself in terms of setting goals for the season. But he’s laser-focused, confident, and ready to remind everyone who he is.

“I’m just going to work on myself and get back into the groove of things,” Swearingen said. “I’ve kind of been out of it for a little while and just kind of been flowing. I’m tired of flowing with the wind, and I’m going to start making some stuff happen.”

Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media