The backstory of a Dallas Cowboys tradition that second-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer believes is important in building an offseason foundation.
The Dallas Cowboys are among the most storied franchises in all of sports. The team's history is palpable the second you walk into The Star, the organization's headquarters and practice facility in Frisco.
Dallas' five Super Bowl trophies line the entryway, reminding fans and players alike of the culture they represent as a part of the Cowboys' past and present.
There's no better way to help tell that story than to let the franchise's most iconic figures do the sharing.
"Legends Day" is an annual Cowboys tradition that involves former players coming to The Star during OTAs and interacting with the current roster. It's an opportunity for veterans to share their experiences and motivate the next generation of the team ahead of the season to come.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer hosted his second Legends Day this week, and Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin expounded on why these interactions are so significant.
"I absolutely love the fact that Coach Schottenheimer encourages this, just the cross-pollinization of eras so we can pass on thoughts or whatever, provide any kind of help, answer any questions the young men need, or just tell them what the team means to us," Irvin said to the media. "Then we hear what it means to them and try to find that harmony and that family unity."
Irvin was a member of the Cowboys' iconic 1990s teams that brought home three of those Lombardi Trophies. Other icons in attendance in recent years have been fan-favorite fullback Daryl "Moose" Johnston, "Mr. Cowboy" Bob Lilly, the original No. 88 Drew Pearson and the franchise's all-time tackles leader Darren Woodson.
Irvin believes that this display of culture and tradition of excellence is what transcends franchise's futures.
"I think all greatness starts with this. Becoming a family first. Because only football families win championships," Irvin said. "Football teams and organizations, it’s too hard for them."
In a literal since, the Cowboys are indeed a family-owned business. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones, like Irvin, finds solace in his management of the team involving those he's closest with. Jones occupies one of the more polarizing thrones in all of sports, so amid the widespread scrutiny, any feeling of comfort and support is helpful, though Schottenheimer says part of the attention "comes with the territory."
The Cowboys' success, however long ago, is also part of the territory. Irvin's teams built a standard that generations of players have looked up to.
"I think the more those guys are around, the more we see their Super Bowl rings, which they wear very proudly, I think that’s great for our guys because that’s why we do it," Schottenheimer said last year.
"We don’t hide from that."
