Immediately after the Dallas Cowboys sealed a road victory over the Houston Texans, Jerry Jones showed his class to help linebacker Shemar James go straight for the game to a hospital back in Dallas
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones put together special plans to help out linebacker Shemar James
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones put together special plans to help out linebacker Shemar James(Image: Getty Images)
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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones demonstrated the lengths he’ll go to for his players as he helped Shemar James get to his pregnant wife’s side.
On Sunday in Week 4, the Cowboys moved to 2-2 following an epic 34-30 win over the Houston Texans. The NFC East franchise won thanks to heroics from Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, while Joey Porter Jr. made his debut for the Cowboys following his trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Jones was surely fired up as he watched Prescott hit Lamb for the game-winning 12-yard touchdown with just 40 seconds to go. After the game, the 83-year-old showed his class as he brought James on his private plane to fly back to Dallas as the linebacker’s wife went into labor.
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Jones not only brought James back to Dallas on his private jet from Houston, but he also personally arranged an escort to transport him straight from the runway to the hospital. Recognizing the agonizing pressure of the race against time, Jones stepped in to ensure James reached his wife's side as quickly as possible.
It’s a touching gesture from the Cowboys owner. James, who joined the Cowboys as a fifth-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, is married to Erica Ladecia, and the two seem to have been together since their college days.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer confirmed the news after the game. He was talking up George Pickens, who hauled in a pair of crucial receptions for 75 yards against the Texans, when he highlighted the life-changing events taking place for James.
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Shemar James' partner went into labor during the Cowboys' clash with the Texans
Shemar James' partner went into labor during the Cowboys' clash with the Texans(Image: Getty Images)
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“There's no one more excited in that locker room right now than George Pickens. No one. Not a single player,” Schottenheimer told reporters.
He then added: “Well, maybe. Shemar James' wife is in labor, and he'll be flying home with the Joneses. And that's pretty cool. So, praying for an easy delivery, and God is good.”
James was seen in a post-game locker room clip shared to X by the Cowboys. In the video, Schottenheimer is seen pumping up the team and the notable players from the game for their work, and James - who tallied one tackle against the Texans - appears at the end of the video wrapped in a towel, cheered with the team once, and rushed out of the room.
It seems he was rushing off to go meet with Jones before eventually meeting his child.
Jones was surely in a delighted mood, having watched the Cowboys get back to winning ways. Following a disappointing loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Brazil, which had Mike Tomlin tearing into the team’s strategy, Dallas bounced back and closed the game out on the road.
Lamb posted 17 catches for 189 yards and one touchdown, while Javonte Williams recorded 62 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. Prescott, meanwhile, completed 32 of 45 passes for 335 yards and a touchdown.
“I cannot tell you guys how proud I am of you guys,” Schottenheimer told his team in the locker room. “I cannot tell you how proud I am of you guys. We knew that was a good football team. We knew it was gonna be a physical battle, okay? We knew their defense was good, okay? But our defense showed up today, baby! Hell, yes!
“And you put the stamp on at the end. And you know they can't hold us down offensively. They ain't gonna hold us down. It took us a minute to get going.”
The Cowboys are next in action against the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football at AT&T Stadium on Oct. 8.