Cowboys player with inspiring story is released

There is a reason why Dorothy Osborne insisted her son, DeQuinton Osborne, earn his degree from Oklahoma State before he pursued the NFL.

That reason popped on Wednesday when the Dallas Cowboys informed the former OSU and South Grand Prairie star he had been released.

He was an undrafted rookie free agent signee hoping to make the 53-man roster, or possibly the practice squad. The Cowboys' decision to cut him does not mean he may not come back to the team, or that his career is over.

His and his mother's story of endurance and perseverance, published in the Tuesday edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, has gone viral and captivated the attention of tens of thousands of readers.

He is free to sign with another team. His mother, who had DeQuinton when she was 13, insisted that he have a backup plan to lean on when football was over — a degree that would allow him to coach and teach.

DeQuinton, who was an All-Big 12 player at OKState, earned his degree in education in December.

This story was originally published May 30, 2018 at 3:25 PM with the headline "Cowboys player with inspiring story is released."