Strength coach Markus Paul made Dallas Cowboys better men, chaplain says at funeral
Beloved Dallas Cowboys strength and conditioning coach Markus Paul was funeralized before friends and family Thursday at the North Colony Church of Christ.
Paul, 54, passed away with family by his bedside on Nov. 25 at a local hospital one day after collapsing at the team facility and being placed on life support.
The Cowboys were represented at the funeral by team chaplain Jonathan Evans, who said Paul “knew how to hold men accountable, not that he just talked about but lived it out.”
Evans said that Cowboys players said his impact on them was not just about coaching them but also making them into better men. He often talked them about their life and their marriages.
Former Cowboys fullback Daryl Johnston, who played in college with Paul at Syracuse before coming to Dallas and winning three Super Bowl titles in the 1990s, remembered his former teammate having the characteristics of a special person from the first day they met as freshmen.
“He is one of the persons in your life you wanted to be more like,” Johnston said.
The Cowboys watched the services virtually as a team together due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“The service was tremendous,” cornerback Chido Awuzie said. “All of got close to Coach Markus. He held you to a certain standard. He was a perfect of example of a guy who does things right. That is what hurt so much for us.”
Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence said the loss of Paul was an unspeakable tragedy that happened right before their eyes in the weight room.
“A great life taken away from us,” Lawrence said. ”It was a tragedy, ain’t no other way to put it. Just to be at the memorial (virtually), be with the teammates, be surrounded with each other and understand that we have to live each and every day like our last. Understand that ain’t nothing promised to us. Be able to cherish each and every moment.
“Looking back on Markus’ career here and being able to make a friendship with him, that’s how he lived each and every day. So I just want to say, ‘I love you Markus. You will always be in my heart. And I ain’t got nothing but love and respect for you.’”
Paul was in his third season with the Cowboys after previously being a strength and conditioning coach with the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, New York Jets and 12 seasons with the New York Giants. Paul was part of five Super Bowl championships, three with the Patriots and two with the Giants.
The former NFL safety played for the Chicago Bears (1989-93) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993). He played in 71 games with 17 starts over those five seasons. He was a fourth-round draft pick out of Syracuse, where he was an AP All-American as a senior in 1998.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy did not speak to the media on Thursday. But in a team statement announcing his death last week, McCarthy said it a privilege to work with Paul.
“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,” McCarthy said. “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.”
Said owner Jerry Jones: “The loss of a family member is a tragedy, and Markus Paul was a loved and valued member of our family. He was a pleasant and calming influence in our strength room.”
Paul, born April 1, 1966 in Orlando, Florida, is survived by his wife, Heidi Paul; his children, Tabitha Paul and Jairus Paul; his stepsons, Dwayne Smith and Mathias Smith; and his grandsons, Miles and Camden Smith. He also leaves his father, Isiah Paul, Sr.; his sister, Angela Taylor; and brother, Isiah Paul, Jr., and Anthony Paul.
This story was originally published December 3, 2020 at 3:42 PM.
