Cowboys work, take hurricane relief donations

ARLINGTON, Texas — With Dak Prescott on one end of a row and Dez Bryant near the other, the stars and starters for the Dallas Cowboys answered phones to take donations for Hurricane Harvey relief while lesser-known teammates practiced a few yards away.

The quarterback and his top receiver were among two dozen Dallas players on the sideline at empty 80,000-seat AT&T Stadium on Thursday night.

The closed practice on the field was the replacement for a preseason game that was first relocated from flood-ravaged Houston and ultimately canceled when the Texans got the OK to go home.

The telethon-practice combo was televised live by a local station. Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin was among the TV hosts, with the phone bank to his left behind him and the practice going on to his right.

Bryant took a call from owner and General Manager Jerry Jones, who donated $1 million. The team said $2.3 million was raised for the Salvation Army.

“I think this is super cool,” Bryant said. “We’re able to help one another. I hate that this situation had to happen, but the good thing about it is it brings unity. This is the perfect opportunity to show unity.”

Bryant, tight end Jason Witten and company wouldn’t have been on the field anyway had the Texans and Cowboys played their preseason finale. While the second- and third-teamers worked out in full pads, most of the starters donned the sponsor-laded jerseys they often wear at community events.

The Cowboys were already planning a telethon when the game was canceled Wednesday, the same day the Texans returned to Houston after spending three days in the Dallas area and practicing twice following a preseason game in New Orleans.