FRISCO — Cowboys players had 17 surprise guests at practice Saturday.
Medal of Honor recipients visited Ford Center at The Star, leading up to Sunday evening’s game against the Indianapolis Colts. The entire offensive line and 26 Cowboys coaches, including Mike McCarthy, will wear at least one painted cleat or shoe Sunday in support of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation.
This is the team’s Salute to Service home game, which coincides with the NFL’s My Cause, My Cleats campaign.
For a second straight year, the Cowboys will wear helmets Sunday with red, white and blue striping. The franchise previously hadn’t used that helmet design in a game since 1976. The same 17 Medal of Honor recipients are scheduled to attend the game.
Painted cleats offer another form of recognition.
“We thought it would be a really cool thing to honor those recipients with the entire offensive line,” right guard Zack Martin said Thursday. “It really is humbling. I got a chance to meet ‘Flo’ (retired U.S. Army Capt. Florent Groberg), a Medal of Honor recipient, a couple weeks ago. I just think it’s so cool. I don’t think a lot of people understand the sacrifice that these guys have gone through.
“A lot of these who received the medal, there were a lot of people, their teammates, who didn’t make it home.”
Charlotte Jones, Cowboys executive vice president and chief brand officer, is chairman of the board for the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation. The museum is under development in Arlington, and according to a team release, the Jones family has contributed $20 million toward the project.
The Medal of Honor is considered the most prestigious award for military-service valor.
There are 64 living recipients today.
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