Cowboys cancel practice over medical emergency involving staff member

The Dallas Cowboys jog onto the field for the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (Ron Jenkins / AP)

FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys cancelled practice Tuesday after what the club said was a non-coronavirus medical emergency involving one of their strength and conditioning coaches.

The Cowboys said Markus Paul "experienced a medical emergency" Tuesday morning at the facility, where he was immediately treated by team medical personnel before being transported by ambulance to a hospital.

An update from the team Tuesday afternoon said that "per the Paul family, Markus is in the process of undergoing further medical tests." It said additional information would be made available at the "appropriate time."

Coach Mike McCarthy's daily meeting with reporters was cancelled, as were interviews with players.

The 54-year-old is a former NFL safety who played for the Chicago Bears (1989-93) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993). He is in his third season with the Dallas Cowboys staff, after previously being a strength and conditional coach with the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, New York Jets and New York Giants.

McCarthy told players at their scheduled 8 a.m. team meeting that practice had been cancelled. That was about a half-hour after Paul's medical emergency.

Dallas is scheduled to play Washington on Thanksgiving. The Cowboys are coming off a win at Minnesota that gave them a chance to play for first place in the NFC East despite a 3-7 record. Washington also is 3-7.

When submitting content, please abide by our  submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.
We use cookies to improve your experience. Learn More or change your cookie preferences. By continuing to use this site, you agree to the use of cookies.
close