Markus Paul, Cowboys Assistant Coach, Hospitalized After Medical Emergency

11/24/2020 11:38 pm EST

Markus Golden, the strength and conditioning coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, was hospitalized on Tuesday morning after experiencing a medical emergency. The team announced he was undergoing further medical tests and practice was canceled. They were getting ready to play the Washington Football team on Thanksgiving Day.

"The Dallas Cowboys players and staff attended a pre-scheduled 8:05 a.m. team meeting this morning and were told by head coach Mike McCarthy that today's practice, scheduled for 11:30 a.m., would be canceled," the team said in a statement. "The organization extends its prayers and support to the Paul family, and asks for friends and followers of Markus, his family and the team to keep them in their thoughts and prayers."

Paul, 54, joined the Cowboys in 2018 as an assistant to Mike Woicik. He was named strength and conditioning coordinator for the Cowboys when Mike McCarthy was named head coach. He played in the NFL as he was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round back in 1989. He played five years with the Bears and the Buccaneers. In 71 career games, Paul recorded seven interceptions.

"It's a dream come true. I'm really in the NFL now," Paul said in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel in 1989. "I'm ready to go. I want to show them that they didn't make a mistake by keeping me."He then moved on to be a coach after his playing days were over as he was named the assistant strength and conditioning coach of the New Orleans Saints in 1998. Paul was with the Saints for two seasons and then joined the New England Patriots for the same position. He helped the team win three Super Bowls from 2000-2004.

Paul spent two seasons with the Jets as the director of physical development (2005) and the strength and conditioning coordinator (2006). He would then be the assistant strength and conditioning coordinator for the New York Giants from 2007-2018 and would help the team win two Super Bowls.

As the Cowboys have Paul on their minds, they look to get a big win on Thursday. Currently, Dallas has a 3-7 record and near dead last in the NFC standings. However, the NFC East divisional leader, the Philadelphia Eagles, are 3-6-1, meaning the Cowboys can be in fourth place by the end of the weekend if they earn a victory.

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