Cowboys give emotional tribute to Dallas police to start camp
The Dallas Cowboys wanted to show their support for the Dallas Police Department and the families of the officers who were shot and killed by a sniper during a protest last month.
So at the start of training camp, the Cowboys walked on the field arm-in-arm with Dallas police Chief David Brown and family members of the officers who were killed. It was a touching moment after a tragic event.
Dallas Cowboys and Jerry Jones walk out arm in arm on field with Dallas Police Chief David Brown: pic.twitter.com/McE4lBosyO
— Brandon George (@DMN_George) July 30, 2016
The team came out in waves. The first wave was led out by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and some of his players, and Brown. Families of four of the five officers who were killed were represented at the practice, the Associated Press said.
“I would like to say thank you to the Dallas Cowboys for lifting a city up today,” Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said, according to the Associated Press. “Those families, those young kids — to be arm-in-arm with a quarterback, a coach or a big lineman — they’ll remember that for the rest of their lives.”
On July 7, 12 officers were shot by a sniper during a Black Lives Matter protest in Dallas. Five of the officers who were shot died.
“Our players felt that there is no better example of what unity is — and can be about — than a sports team,” the Cowboys said in a statement. “And they felt they had the opportunity — for the first time they were together this year — to send this very important message.”
The team is wearing an “arm-in-arm” decal on its helmets.
Brown spoke to the team, according to the AP.
“I talked about responsibility and playing a role in our society as pro athletes, to have a voice in the conversation about race, to have a voice in the conversation about communities and police departments and police-involved shootings,” Brown said. “I think that people need to hear, from all parts of society, a discussion on race.”
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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
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