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• Dallas Cowboys strength coach Markus Paul dies a day after experiencing a medical emergency at the team’s facility.
Dallas Cowboys strength coach Markus Paul died Wednesday, a day after being taken to the hospital after experiencing a medical emergency at the team’s facility. He was 54.
The team said the cause of death was pending.
Paul was in his third season with the
Cowboys after previous 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.
“The loss of a family member is a tragedy, and Markus Paul was a loved and valued member of our family,” Dallas owner Jerry Jones said. “He was a pleasant and calming influence in our strength room.”
The Cowboys canceled practice Tuesday after Paul was taken to the hospital. The team practiced Wednesday, a day before its Thanksgiving game against Washington.
■ DOLPHINS: Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was limited in practice Wednesday with a previously undisclosed injury to the thumb on his throwing hand.
Tagovailoa, a Saint Louis School alum from Ewa Beach, Oahu, was sacked six times before being pulled in the fourth quarter of the Dolphins’ loss Sunday at Denver.
After the game, coach Brian Flores said Tagovailoa was healthy, and said the switch to veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick was made in an attempt to give the offense a spark. Flores also said Tagovailoa remained his starting quarterback.
■ COLTS: The Indianapolis Colts placed Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday.
Buckner, a Punahou graduate from Waianae, Oahu, will not be able to play Sunday, leaving Indy without its best run stuffer for a showdown with Tennessee.
Buckner’s 24 solo tackles are tied for the second-most among NFL defensive tackles this season. Indy also could be without Buckner’s likely replacement, Denico Autry, who went on the COVID-19 list last week.