Cowboys Mourn Loss Of Strength And Condition Coach

After a tragic week for the Dallas Cowboys in which strength and conditioning coach Markus Paul lost his life, players and staff paid tribute to their lost family member in various ways before, during and after their Thanksgiving matchup against the Washington Football Team.

Paul died on Wednesday, a day after being hospitalized following a medical emergency sustained at the Cowboys team facility. The team has said that the cause of death is pending. Paul was 54 years old and leaves behind a family.

“The loss of a family member is a tragedy, and Markus Paul was a loved and valued member of our family,” Dallas Cowboys owners Jerry Jones said. “He was a pleasant and calming influence in our strength room and throughout The Star. His passion for his work and his enthusiasm for life earn him great respect and admiration from all of our players and the entire organization. We offer our love and support to his family in this very difficult time. Our hearts are broken for his family and all of the individuals whose lives he touched and made better.”

During the Cowboys’ loss to Washington on Thursday, all Dallas players wore decals on their helmets to commemorate their lost coach. Players and staff also had a poignant moment together and a moment of silence was held before a tribute video to Paul was displayed on the big screen at AT&T Stadium.

“We extend our love, strength and support to Markus’ family during this most challenging of times and ask that their privacy be respected moving forward,” head coach Mike McCarthy said. “Markus Paul was a leader in this building. He earned the players’ respect and attention because he cared so much and was a naturally gifted communicator – both on the personal and professional levels. He handled every situation, sometimes with a smile and a pat on the back, and sometimes with tough love. He had innate toughness in a job that requires that quality, and he was admired throughout the NFL by his peers and the players he coached. It was a privilege to work with him as a coach and laugh with him as a friend. Markus did everything the right way.”

“You find out a lot about people in these times. I can’t tell you how proud I am of this football team,” said McCarthy. “But yes, it’s a week that I don’t think any of us will ever forget.”

Paul had been with the Cowboys since 2018 as assistant strength coach but was promoted to strength and conditioning coordinator in January with the arrival of Mike McCarthy to the team. In previous roles, Paul played an important role in three Super Bowl championships with the New England Patriots between 2000 and 2004, while an 11-season stretch with the New York Giants between 2007 and 2017 yielded two more Super Bowl victories.

“I just first wanted to start this out by sending my condolences to the Paul family. I want to thank the Paul family for sharing Markus with us,” Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott said after Thursday’s game. “He meant so much to this team and had such a big part of everyone’s everyday life. And we are just grateful that you guys shared him with us.”

“We were lining up for practice, getting ready to stretch and you get that reminder that he’s not here with us anymore,” Elliott said. “It definitely is tough and we’ve just got to lean on each other and help each other get through this tough time.”

Paul also enjoyed a five-year playing career in the NFL (1989-93) with the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bears drafted Paul with the 95th overall pick in the 1989 draft from Syracuse, where the defensive back was team captain and All-American. In the NFL, Paul made 15 starts in 71 career games, including just one for the Buccaneers.

“It was a tragedy and we’re still praying for Coach Markus and his family,” said Chidobe Awuzie. “It was really tough, but at the same time we all know Coach Markus’ impact on us. So that’s what we’re going to hold on to, the memories, the lessons and definitely the good times.”

“The passing of Markus Paul is a true loss to the NFL community and anyone who had the privilege of knowing him,” Washington Football Team’s head coach Ron Rivera said. “Markus was a tremendous teammate during my time with the Chicago Bears and a good friend to me over the years. He was just a great man and will be missed by many.”

“You lose somebody so suddenly like that, it’s really hard — and then to see his face up on the jumbotron and to have him not on the sideline with us, it’s tough,” Cowboys center Joe Looney said after Thursday’s loss.