Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy reveals reason why final minicamp practice was 'canceled'
Although the Dallas Cowboys are using the three days of mandatory minicamp that the CBA allows them to, they won't be practicing on the field on Thursday.Head coach Mike McCarthy hasn't shied away from calling off OTAs and minicamp practices before and 2024 will be no exception. On Wednesday, he revealed the reason behind the […]
Although the Dallas Cowboys are using the three days of mandatory minicamp that the CBA allows them to, they won't be practicing on the field on Thursday.
Head coach Mike McCarthy hasn't shied away from calling off OTAs and minicamp practices before and 2024 will be no exception. On Wednesday, he revealed the reason behind the decision.
"We have other things we're focused on," McCarthy told reporters when asked why not use the third day of practice they're allowed to hold during minicamp. "We got other things we're focused on outside of scheme so that that's where the other time is going."
NFL coaches usually put an emphasis on bonding and locker room morale during the offseason with the hopes of bringing the team closer together. In other words, it's not like the team won't be getting some work in.
For McCarthy, that much has worked during his time with the Cowboys, with him receiving raving reviews from players in recent years despite him being considered to be in the hot seat after an underwhelming playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Part of the time the Cowboys will have on Thursday will be spent with 2OX Human Performance, a program that aims to "support organizational excellence through our battle tested multi-dimensional approach."
This is the same group that Dak Prescott hired for a crash course with several of his offensive teammates during last year's offseason with the hopes of gaining a mental edge, as Yahoo! Sports' Jori Epstein reported at the time.
It seems like the Cowboys are building off of that approach and bringing it to the entire team.
"Not to get ahead of ourselves here because we're going to be with them again today and tomorrow, but I've been super impressed with this organization," McCarthy said on Wednesday. "It's an organization of human performance. Just the shared experiences of the staff they brought in here are incredible, but most importantly, to see our players and coaches connect with them. It's been very educational, and it's definitely something we'll look to apply to our operation.
When you are exposed to and have the opportunity to be educated and have this type of experience, the maintenance and how you move forward is key. They've been very, very impressive."
What does O2X do?
According to their website, this is the approach of the company founded by former Navy SEALs Adam La Reau and Paul McCullough:
Our multidisciplinary approach begins by identifying needs unique to your organization. Next, we set goals and implement custom programs to provide ongoing support focused on optimizing the mental and physical health, productivity, performance, and career longevity of your organization.
On Epstein's article last year, for example, the NFL insider revealed "O2X curated a five-session curriculum rooted in strategies that special operations units employ to thrive in high-threat situations."
The Cowboys hope this gives the team the tools needed to excel on the playing field the upcoming season.
For now, though, Cowboys minicamp has come to an end as far as practices go. They'll be traveling to Oxnard, California next July to kick off training camp. Football is so near, yet so far.
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