The reality show that is football player Mana Silva’s life was defined on an MTV program.

“I was watching a show, and Lady Gaga said, ‘I’m a perpetual underdog,’ ” Silva recalled. “That is exactly what my life is like. I could connect with that.”

Storybook writers would go gaga over Silva’s ascent from a Kamehameha-Hawaii quarterback to walk-on at Oregon State and Hawaii, to fringe roles with the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills, to the Dallas Cowboys’ active roster

“It feels really good,” said Silva, who signed with the Cowboys on Tuesday. He has been told he will be used on special teams Saturday against Tampa Bay.

Silva, who was UH’s starting free safety in 2009 and 2010, was not selected in the 2011 NFL Draft.

He signed a free-agent contract with the Ravens, but was cut a week before the season opener. After that, he signed with Buffalo, and was assigned to the practice squad.

This past Sunday, Dallas safety Barry Church was injured. The next day, the Cowboys contacted Silva. A practice-squad player may be signed by another team. The Bills made a counter offer, but Silva signed with the Cowboys.

Silva said the temperature was in the 20s in Buffalo, and “it was snowing already. I learned a lot in Buffalo, but I was ready to move on.”

Silva reported to the Cowboys’ practice facility Tuesday. He said defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, who has an outgoing personality, “was making jokes. It’s a really good environment.”