Cowboys WR Michael Gallup Found Out About His Brother's Suicide Just Before Yesterday's Game

Source – The customary jubilation was not present in the Dallas Cowboys locker room on Sunday in Atlanta following the team’s 22-19 walk-off win. The reason for what team owner Jerry Jones accurately described as a “somber mood” due to a “tragic loss”: I’m told that a brother of Cowboys rookie receiver Michael Gallup’s brother, passed away during the weekend due to an apparent suicide.

I’m told Michael’s sister, both part of a large adopted family from nearby Monroe, Georgia, was in attendance at the game and came to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium locker room to deliver the news to Gallup.

If there’s one thing I’ve always appreciated about the men who play football at a high level is the sheer amount of balls it takes to walk onto a field with the biggest, fastest, toughest athletes in the world flying at you from all directions. Just the level of mental toughness it has to take to step out there, keep a game plan straight, know your reads and assignments, put your health on the line and compete for three-plus hours like that is nearly superhuman. I’m hesitant to use the word “courage” because it’s best to save that one for first responders or the military, but I think it’s apt.

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Now imagine being Michael Gallup yesterday. A rookie. Already going up against a tough, athletic Falcons defense that’s out to do him harm, he grew up in Monroe, GA so he had family and friends in the stands to watch him. Then right before the game, not only be told your brother is dead, but that he died by his own hand. How does a young guy have the capacity to process that and then go focus on his job? Enough to produce this, no less:

I’m as guilty as the next guy when it comes to making fun of football players that I don’t like or that play for teams I root against. And I’ll continue to because it’s one of the simple pleasures of being a fan. But the truth is these guys are to be admired and appreciated for what they do, even in the best of circumstances. When one of them has a personal situation that involves just about the worst thing a human being can face, they’re to be celebrated no matter what uniform they play in. The fact that Thanksgiving is just three days away and not only will Gallup’s family have to deal with it so soon after this tragedy but he’ll have to play again is sad beyond words.

Sincerity is not my strong suit. But for once we can all say this with total sincerity: Thoughts and prayers to them and him.