Former Cowboys DE DeMarcus Ware: From sack master to teaching the art of the sack
Retirement life is good for former Dallas Cowboys defensive DeMarcus Ware.
Although he stays in great shape and looks like he can play, he is done with football and doesn’t miss it at all.
It was a point that registered again at the end of the Cowboys OTA practices on Wednesday at the Star where Ware served as a guest coach.
“I saw the guys running gassers today and I said, ‘I’m going to let you all do that,’” Ware said. “I’ve done that already. I’m done.”
Ware is too busy enjoying spending time with his family and that includes coaching his son’s monster pee wee football team that also includes the sons of former Cowboys receivers Dez Bryant and Patrick Crayton.
"Actually, they listen," Ware said of the kids, not his former teammates. "They're five or six, seven-year-olds, and I'm actually giving them pep talks and teaching little techniques how to make the other guys fumble and they're just pulling flags. They actually listen. They've won almost every championship that they've played in, actually Dez's son plays on the team and Patrick Crayton's son, so we have like a monster team."
Ware has no interest in becoming a full-time coach but he does have a heart for teaching and passing on the pass rush techniques that have made him the Cowboys all-time leading pass rusher and a lock to one day be inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
He has done it part time at his gym in Southlake since retiring two years ago, and now his services are being requested.
Last week, he was in Denver working with Broncos’ pass-rushers. He played three years in Denver after being released by the Cowboys, winning a Super Bowl title in 2015.
And on Wednesday, he was at the Star at the request of Cowboys defensive ends end DeMarcus Lawrence, Taco Charlton and Tyrone Crawford working their entire group of rushers.
“Hey, just trying to help everybody,” said Ware, who has 138.5 career sacks. “Mentor the guys a little bit and just really teaching some technique, the little small things of stopping the run, getting in the backfield, but then when it comes to passing situations how to break down an offense, how they’re going to get attacked and then the techniques they need to use to get to the quarterback.
“The teaching aspect I really enjoy. Teaching the guys the technique work but then seeing it out on the field, how they progress from learning it from me and then how they apply it to their own bodies.”
Said Lawrence: “D-Ware was an awesome player here. You can learn so much, not just on the field but off the field, taking in what he did for the Cowboys when he was here, just trying to be great.”
Ware has a particular interest in Lawrence, who was actually drafted to replace in 2014.
After having a breakout season in 2017 with 14.5 sacks, Lawrence is trying to duplicate it and prove he can be a consistent star.
“As a pass rusher, you always think about consistency,” Ware said. “When you think about DeMarcus Lawrence, first, second, third year, now he had that big push last year. Now, it’s what have you done for me lately? It’s a new year. He has to look at it that way. What can you put in your toolbox this year to make yourself a little bit more consistent, because now you’re going to have that bull’s eye on you. But also how can you make the other guys better with your leadership? That’s going to make you a lot better inside the room, on the team, but also out there on the football field.”
Lawrence said Ware is helping him develop a counter move.
“Pass rusher to pass rusher, you always want to learn something new to help your game,” Lawrence said. “You always got to have a counter move. Can’t never think you are going to win with just one. Working on next move after the first one.”
Does he have it down?
“For sure,” Lawrence said. “Stay tuned. The show will begin in like 80 days.”
This story was originally published June 6, 2018 at 5:16 PM with the headline "Former Cowboys DE DeMarcus Ware: From sack master to teaching the art of the sack."