Training camp continues for the Dallas Cowboys. But it's impossible for many people on the practice field to only think about football right now.
“Police brutality is something it has to be truly addressed," said Cowboys offensive tackle Cameron Erving. "It doesn’t just need to be a headline for a few days and then it just goes away and things continue to be status quo.”
Erving and other Cowboys voiced their concerns about racial injustice during a team meeting on Thursday.
“We opened the floor up for everybody and get whatever’s on their chest, off of their chest, said Cowboys offensive tackle La'el Collins. "We sat there and talked like men and we’re going to continue to talk, we’re going to continue to find ways, the best ways to touch the community, touch people, and try and make a change.”
Team owner Jerry Jones was out of town during the team meeting. But he told NBC 5 radio partner 105.3 The Fan, he wants his franchise actively involved, just as other pro sports teams have been in recent days.
“The events of the last several days have really touched everybody," said Jones, "I want our organization and our players to play a part in the movement of making it a better place in this country.”
Mike McCarthy has scripted a lot of plays during his long coaching career. But there's never been a diagram for how to deal with an off-the-field issue like racial injustice.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
“This is an issue," said McCarthy. "It’s of high concern. It’s on their hearts you know it’s something that they’re bothered by.”
McCarthy said it's important he listens to his players now more than ever, as they continue on in training camp without canceling any practices, unlike other teams in the NFL.
“Right now we’re focused on trying to make sure we have conversations and communication but also that we continue to do what we get paid to do to play football,” said Erving.
Athletes getting paid to play football while trying to figure out how to win an even more important battle off the field.
