FRISCO — Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has the name “Ebarb” tattooed on his right thigh.
It’s a reminder of his grandfather, Glyn Ebarb, who set the blueprint for Prescott to become a man and father.
Prescott said his father, Nat, remains a steady figure in his life. Growing up, however, grandpa also showed the way.
“When I think about a man, he was the ultimate man,” Prescott said. “Up every morning. By 6 o’clock, grandma’s coffee, newspaper, everything set up for when she wakes up at 6:30. It was all done up by the time we got up. He was ready to jump on the day.
“He was loving and in the same sense very demanding and had a standard. When I was little and [got in] trouble and talked [back] in school, my mom would say ‘Hey I’m going to call your grandpa.’ And I’d lock up and start crying.”
Prescott, who became a first-time dad in April when girlfriend Sarah Jane Ramos delivered a baby girl named Margaret Jane Rose, reflected on what it means to be a father. On this Father’s Day, Prescott and several teammates describe fatherhood as an honor, a blessing and a responsibility not to be shunned.
They play for an organization that fosters a family atmosphere, starting with team owner Jerry Jones, who works closely with his children. Head coach Mike McCarthy, a father of five, often talks glowingly of his family.
One player who enjoys being a father is defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence. And similar to Prescott, Lawrence’s father, Tyrone Lawrence, provided a blueprint for helping him become a dad.
“Shoot. I think it’s definitely in my top three things as being a man,” said Lawrence, a father of four. “Being a father and also teach young ones what you learned over your years and being able to pass that on to your bloodline. It means so much to me, and I know it means a lot to other dads.”
Family cornerstones
Jerry Jones built the Cowboys with his family. Jones’ two sons are heavily involved in the organization — Stephen as executive vice president/player personnel and Jerry Jr. as chief sales and marketing officer. His daughter, Charlotte Jones, is the chief brand officer, executive vice president and the club’s charity foundation president.
The Jones family is extremely close, and playful.
During a private conversation with reporters at the NFL owners meetings a few years ago, Stephen Jones tried to get his dad, whom he calls Jerry in public, to hang out. When Jerry said he couldn’t, Stephen playfully punched him in the stomach. At an NFL draft news conference in 2022, Jerry flashed the team’s draft board containing its prospect rankings to reporters. Stephen, shaking his head, told his dad to put it away.
Jerry Jones often speaks about his father being a positive influence in his life, from convincing him not to purchase the San Diego Chargers in the 1960s, to advice he lives by today.
“My first years of my life I made it a point to hang with 20-year-old [people] or older than me,” Jerry Jones said. “My father said, ‘First of all, the guys your age don’t have a lot to offer you sense-wise, and they sure can’t rub two nickels together, so make your buddies 20 or older.’ ‘’
More than front office
The bond between a father and his children isn’t just evident in the front office. It also translates to the players, staff and coaches.
During Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs’ rookie season, his son, Aaiden, was mic’d up during a preseason game for HBO’s Hard Knocks series that follows NFL teams during training camp. Aaiden became a media sensation for his interaction with his father and Cowboys fans.
Aaiden’s popularity continues to grow. He conducted fun television interviews with players of the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers during media day for the NHL’s Stanley Cup Final.
Last year, many in the organization were brought to tears during the NFL draft when Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn was selected in the sixth round. Deuce’s father, Chris Vaughn, is the team’s assistant director of college scouting. The Vaughns talked to each other the day Deuce was drafted, with father trying to calm down his son as each team picked. Finally, in the Cowboys draft room, Chris called his son as he held back tears.
“You wanna come to work with me next week?” Chris asked.
Deuce replied, “I wouldn’t mind that at all.”
This is an organization where fathers and sons have worked across generations.
Bucky Buchanan is the Cowboys equipment manager and has worked for the organization since 1994. Bucky’s dad, William T. “Buck” Buchanan, was the Cowboys’ equipment manager from 1973-1993. His longtime service was recognized in 2023 by the Pro Football Hall of Fame as one of 17 recipients to receive an Award of Excellence.
Balancing life in NFL
Becoming a father presents challenges while playing in the NFL. Lawrence continues to juggle fatherhood while playing a game that takes a physical toll on his body. Prescott will soon leave for his first training camp in California as a father.
“It’s truly a blessing, something I don’t take for granted,” Prescott said. “An honor to have the responsibilities and obligations of a life. One that I brought into this world. Every time I look at her and realize how much she looks like me, it’s fulfilling. Blessed; honored. I don’t think anything can duplicate except for a second child.”
Wide receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Jourdan Lewis deal with home life while raising younger kids.
“He’s crazy. He’s the nut bar, he keeps everything going,” Lewis said of his 1-year-old son. “He keeps the lights on in the house, he’s running up and down, he’s jumping off stuff and everything. It’s great to see because my mom told me I was the same way. Just seeing it on the other end is crazy.”
Cooks’ two sons, Maverick and Dash, have visited the Cowboys locker room during the season. He cherishes the birth of his children, especially how difficult it was to have his first one with wife, Briannon, who underwent in vitro fertilization treatments.
“It’s the greatest gift that God could give us,” Cooks said. “It’s hard to explain because it’s a feeling that you really can’t express when you see a carbon copy of you running around. But the responsibilities that come with that. You got to tighten up. It’s funny, I was watching something the other day, with your first child they get all of you, even your mistakes because you don’t know what you’re doing and your second child gets a little softer [parent] the more you go. I would just have to say it’s a beauty because also you look at your wife and we’re blessed right? She gets to take care of the kids when you’re at work. You also see how they form not only as a father but as the mom.”
On this Father’s Day, Lawrence will ask for breakfast, cards and some quiet time at home. Others might play golf, have dinner or just take a walk.
What about Prescott, who recently filmed a Father’s Day crawfish boil video for Meat Church BBQ with his dad, Nat?
“For me now being a father I get enough attention,” he said. “I don’t need a day where I’m recognized for that. I take that responsibility seriously every single day. Maybe my girlfriend and baby give me a massage something that I look forward to. It’s just another day, and I’m just blessed to be a part of it in the sense of being a father.”
Twitter: @calvinwatkins
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