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Cowboys’ Kelvin Joseph gives first public comment since shooting: ‘I’m not a troublemaker’

Joseph declined to talk about the March 18 shooting death of 20-year-old Cameron Ray.

FRISCO — Kelvin Joseph made himself clear from the outset.

He was not going to talk about it.

“My team is handling the situation,” the Cowboys cornerback said Friday. “I’m not going to really address anything on that topic today. I’m just going to focus on football.”

In an eight-minute conference call, Joseph addressed reporters for the first time since the March 18 shooting death of 20-year-old Cameron Ray. Joseph’s attorney told The Dallas Morning News on April 15 that Joseph, while a passenger inside the black SUV from which several shots were fired in Old East Dallas, was not the shooter.

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This account is consistent with the Dallas police investigation. Hours after the attorney’s comments, Joseph met with detectives, and two men confessed to the killing. Tivione English and Aries Jones were charged with murder.

Joseph’s presence in the vehicle, how it took nearly a month for him to speak with investigators, and how he didn’t do so until after Dallas police released surveillance footage to the public and Cowboys fans recognized the 2021 second-round pick are all facts that may be indelibly associated with Joseph.

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But that is not who Joseph is, he said.

“I’m a child of God,” Joseph said. “I’m a son. I’m a father to a son. I’m a leader. I’m a learner. And most …of all, I’m a smart kid, and I’m not a troublemaker or somebody who is just going to cause problems or do anything like that. I’m happy to be a pro, and I’m going to continue to treat myself as a pro and move as a pro.

“And I appreciate the Dallas Cowboys for taking a chance on me.”

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Joseph has appeared in every game this season, emerging not only as one of the Cowboys’ top special-teams players but arguably one of the best in the NFL. He was most expansive Friday when discussing his role and development there.

He was asked if he wanted to comment publicly to Ray’s family members.

“No, sir,” Joseph said.

He was asked if he has spoken with the league.

“My team is handling everything with the NFL,” said Joseph, who has not been charged with a crime related to the investigation. “I’m not really going to talk much about that topic.”

The criminal matter is considered open. When closed and there is full clarity on whether Joseph will face any charges, the NFL is expected to determine if Joseph violated the league’s personal conduct policy. This process could result in an unpaid suspension. For at least the time being, the Cowboys and Joseph are largely proceeding as they otherwise would.

Joseph, 22, has starred in coverage on the punt team and in perimeter blocking on punt return and kickoff return. His dominance in punt coverage as a gunner — the outermost position where the fastest athletes tend to play — comes across the field from C.J. Goodwin, the Cowboys’ longtime ace on special teams.

Goodwin, in his seventh NFL season and fifth with Dallas, is respected with the NFL as an elite special-teamer. He regularly draws double teams.

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He called working with Joseph, who is now drawing his own share, “easily the best combination that I’ve ever been a part of.”

“I’m thankful to have that guy out there,” Goodwin said. “It takes a lot of pressure off me as well, having another dude who can do just as well as me out there. I’m glad he’s taking to it. …He calls me, ‘Unc,’ so he and I talk all the time. I give him all the tools I have.

“He’s strong. He’s fast. We have pretty much the same skill set, so it’s all about want-to at that point, and he wants to. It’s showing.”

Joseph leads the Cowboys with five tackles on special teams.

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Goodwin is second with two.

A competition has developed between them on who can reach the returner first in punt coverage. That dynamic would occur on kickoffs, too, but 33 of Brett Maher’s 34 kickoffs have resulted in a touchback entering Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears.

“We’re both trying to end with the most tackles,” Joseph said Friday. “That’s just a good competition that we have between each other. Every time we hit the field, we’re trying to the best of our abilities, and honestly, you can see we’re the two best in the business right now.”

There have been multiple instances this season when Joseph and Goodwin have arrived at a punt returner at or about the same time. The most memorable one came in Week 4 when Goodwin, on the nearer side of the field, reached Washington Commanders wide receiver Dax Milne a tick before Joseph.

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Goodwin wrapped his arms around Milne’s knees, and Joseph quickly wrapped around Milne’s shoulders. Each was credited for an assisted tackle.

Goodwin reached 21.21 mph on the play, according to Next Gen Stats. Joseph topped at 21.68.

“That’s the beauty in it, knowing he’s going to get down there as fast as possible and I’m going to get down there as fast as possible,” Goodwin said. “Whoever gets there first wins. We love it. We don’t care who makes the tackle, as long as one of us makes that play. "

Goodwin added with a laugh: “But it’s going to me from now on, so don’t worry.”

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There is plenty about football that can be discussed in regard to Joseph. Special teams. Defense. Rookie fifth-round pick DaRon Bland is expected to start Sunday in place of nickel cornerback Jourdan Lewis, who suffered a season-ending foot fracture last Sunday against the Detroit Lions. But the development brings the Cowboys closer to calling upon Joseph at cornerback.

How he fares on defense is another question he waits to answer.

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