Cowboys continue to practice as they work on team response to Jacob Blake shooting
The Dallas Cowboys had an open forum following Thursday’s practice for players to voice their opinions in the aftermath of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin.
Coach Mike McCarthy described it as a “good dialogue” among the players and staff. No action plans or decisions were reached as the team continues to brainstorm and work on ways to handle the issue.
The Cowboys were not among a handful of NFL teams who canceled practice in response to the shooting. They practiced Thursday and again on Friday. The team has Saturday off before a longer practice/scrimmage on Sunday at AT&T Stadium.
“As far as the group direction, we’re going to continue to work,” McCarthy said. “Talking to a couple of the players one-on-one, they want to practice. We’ll just continue to talk through this. Once again, it’s about supporting everybody, particularly from my focus, in the football operation and right now my high focus is on the players.”
Owner Jerry Jones was out of town and did not participate in the discussion.
“I know [Jerry Jones] is destined to be involved here in the near future,” McCarthy said. “I know the players are looking forward to the interaction.”
During a radio interview on 105.3 The Fan later Friday, Jones said his thoughts are with all those affected during “these disheartening times.”
“I want our team ... to be a part of change,” Jones said “And the dramatic change isn’t going to happen overnight but I want our organization and players to play a part in the movement of making it a better place in this country. I feel confident that our players have a can-do and what-can-I-do part in it. I want the Cowboys to help make things better.”
Executive vice president Stephen Jones, vice president of player personnel Will McClay and assistant head coach Rob Davis were among notable participants in the discussion Thursday.
Blake, a Black man, was shot seven times by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Sunday. Video of the shooting sparked more protests, and athletes across the sports landscape boycotted no fewer than two dozen sporting events in the United States and Canada.
Cowboys cornerback Anthony Brown explained the team’s decision to go forward with practices, saying: “At the end of the day, we’ve still got a job to do. We’re still trying to get better every day, but we’re not going to ignore the things that are happening outside this building. We’re going to do what we can to make things better.”
Brown went on to say he hasn’t noticed any change in practice amid the outside issues and reiterated the team is working to come up with a uniformed response.
“It’s very important for a team statement or response,” he said. “We’re going to get in groups and decide what we all want to do together. We don’t want individual players putting out different things all at one time, so we want to be all on the same page and be sound with what we say and do.”
That mindset was echoed by fellow teammates Cameron Erving and La’el Collins. Both described the conversations within the team as positive and productive.
Erving then spoke at length about racial injustices facing this country, sharing stories of his upbringing in a small town in south Georgia.
“I’ve experienced racism firsthand from the time I could walk,” Erving said. “I didn’t necessarily know what it was but I felt it. As I grew up and got older, I saw it in different ways. I’ve been called the N word in the last year and a half, two years. It’s 2020, 2018 whatever. It’s just something that’s in me, honestly. I have to say something.
“If I’m given the platform right now to speak, I have to be truthful regardless of any repercussions. I don’t want to offend anyone or rub anyone the wrong way but that’s just the truth. ... You’d be blind to not see what’s going on in America right now.”
