This was a different interview.
Stephen Jones, the Cowboys co-owner and CEO, was doing his weekly interview on 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM) on Monday, and the discussion with the hosts wasn’t just about football.
Eventually, it got back to what the Cowboys need to do next week when they play Sept. 17 at Las Vegas, but that seems so unimportant compared to what Jones was talking about Monday.
It’s easy to understand why the focus was on the Cowboys’ emotions after the death of defensive end Marshawn Kneeland.
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In the first public interview by anyone in the Cowboys front office since Kneeland’s death, Jones said all the right things from the heart because, like everyone else in the franchise, he cares.
“Anytime you get news like that, your heart just, obviously, it’s like a hole going through it and you’re just heartbroken, certainly hoping that wasn’t the case,” Jones said. “I found out in the middle of the night. Woke up after finally getting a little bit of sleep, woke up and was hoping it was a dream but unfortunately it wasn’t.”
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Kneeland killed himself on Thursday and the reasons for it remain in the exploratory phases from a law enforcement, team and family perspective.
Kneeland’s girlfriend told police in a 911 call that he suffered from mental illness. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound near the team facility in Frisco.
It’s an upsetting story of a man with a bright future. Just days before his death, the second-round pick from Western Michigan scored his first NFL touchdown off a blocked punt. The next day, his uncle had texted him, congratulating him on the achievement.
Now he’s gone.
“The biggest thing was his energy and the way he played the game,” Jones said of Kneeland. “He had a big passion and love for the game. He played with a high motor. He loved to get after it. Certainly, that jumped off the tape when you watched Marshawn when we were scouting him. I mean, he just jumped off the tape, how he hustled, how he played the game, his passion for the game. And certainly, he was that way as a person and played that way for us, and we’re just going to miss him so much.”
Team officials said players plan on wearing a helmet decal to honor Kneeland’s passing and for their next home game, Nov. 23 against the Eagles, a moment of silence along with a video tribute are just some of the things being planned. Kneeland’s family is scheduled to attend the Eagles game.
The NFL had a moment of silence for Kneeland at all its games this weekend. The Stars did the same for their game on Thursday against the Ducks.
People close to and far from the Cowboys are offering support to their players, coaches and staff. Outside of social media tributes, Dak Prescott was the first player to speak about the loss of Kneeland, and then it was Stephen Jones on Monday.
Jerry Jones is scheduled for a radio interview Tuesday.
At some point, coach Brian Schottenheimer will talk about the loss and then the rest of the team.
The words will be hard to find.
“He’s certainly feeling the pain,” Jones said of Schottenheimer. “All our players, and we know all our players, deal differently. Everybody deals with grief in different ways and you have to respect all the ways how people grieve.”
There’s a game next Monday night, too.
Jones said he expected new additions Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson to fit in quickly with the defense. Injured players DeMarvion Overshown, Shavon Revel and Malik Hooker are pointing in the right direction to return from injuries.
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Jones even said the Cowboys could make a run at the postseason if things fall their way.
It was as upbeat as anyone could get during the interview.
But the reality of what’s going on was also set.
“It certainly puts everything in perspective,” Jones said. “You’re playing a game that means a lot to a lot of people. But there are things a lot more important than that. Certainly, that’s what we’re going through this week, so that will be first and foremost. But we do know like anything, we got to get back to work and we just want to continue to honor Marshawn and do everything the best way we can.”
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