Cowboys Cancel Practice Due to Severe Medical Emergency Involving Staffer

“The decision is not related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is due to a medical emergency involving a staff member, according to a team spokesperson.”

“Further information is still forthcoming, but the circumstances speak to the severity of the situation,” the team’s official website reported.

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Frisco Police revealed to NBC5 that the staff member in question required an ambulance and hospitalization, though additional details are scarce.

Former ESPN insider Josina Anderson reports the individual is part of Dallas’ strength and conditioning team and there’s “concern” for their “well-being.”

The Cowboys, following a Monday walkthrough, were scheduled to hold a full-fledged Tuesday practice as they ready for their Thanksgiving home game against Washington.

Heavy will update this story as more information becomes available.

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McCarthy Used Legendary Tactic to Inspire Cowboys Win

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy employed famed comedian Gallagher’s iconic routine to fire up his squad ahead of Sunday’s 31-28 upset of the Vikings.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero first reported that, “to emphasize their objectives,” McCarthy wielded a sledgehammer and smashed watermelons during Saturday’s team meeting in Minnesota. “Players roared, then responded with an inspired win,” Pelissero noted. McCarthy later confirmed the act to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

“I think like anything in this game, it’s important to have fun,” he said Monday. “You’re always trying to create emphasis in your messaging. That’s really where it came from. We were just using the approach to honor the great comedian Gallagher and it’s an idea that came up and we went for it. The players were into it.”

“It was just all part of the messaging so we had a number of points of emphasis that we were trying to hit so a number of guys got to participate and once again I’d say it was a lot of fun. It was well received.”

McCarthy walloped a few watermelons before passing the sledgehammer around. It eventually landed in the hands of star defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, who destroyed the final melon “with the objective of stopping” Vikings running back Dalvin Cook, the NFL’s leading rusher entering Week 11, according to Hill.

It worked, for the most part, as Cook was “held” to 115 yards on 27 carries — a massive improvement from the 307 ground yards Dallas surrendered to the Browns in Week 4. The previously-moribund club played inspired football from the opening whistle, culminating in a fourth-quarter comeback that moved the 3-7 Cowboys to within one game of the NFC East lead.

READ NEXT: Cowboys QB Andy Dalton Set Crazy NFL Record on GW TD Pass vs. Vikings

Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL