Dalton Schultz just signed a deal with the Houston Texans for $36 million over 3 years. It makes him the 12th highest-paid TE in the whole league. And rightfully so, he has proven himself over the last year, playing on a pretty low deal but balling out with CJ Stroud. He had 635 yards receiving on 56 receptions after starting 8 games with the Texans. He started only 8 games with Houston and still managed to imitate the numbers he put up while starting 15 games for the Cowboys.
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Is this a culture problem? Dalton Schultz compares the zoo-like atmosphere with the Cowboys to all football with the Texans pic.twitter.com/cRAdJUzsF4
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) March 6, 2024
But more than his contract and much higher than any highlight of his from Dallas, his comments on the state of the Cowboys’ locker room have attracted attention. Appearing on ‘The Pat McAfee show’, the former Cowboys’ 4th-round pick opened up about the differences he’s experienced playing for the Texans vs America’s team. When McAfee asks what it feels like to be training while there are people are paying for practice facility tour tickets, here’s what Schultz had to say:
“There’s people literally going on tours while you’re lifting in the weight room. And they’ve got a one-way mirror for people to like look at, it’s literally, it’s a zoo, dude. There’s people tapping on the glass trying to get people’s attention as they’re doing power cleans or what not.”
Shultz’s comments instantly sparked a heated debate on social media. Fans were quick to take sides, either saying that the Stanford Alum is just a disgruntled employee who is getting his revenge on a franchise that didn’t do him right, or agreeing with the Texans TE on management of the culture in Dallas. Here’s what Schultz said about the management:
“It’s just… it’s different. That’s the brand that they’ve built. That’s what Jerry Jones likes. That’s the way that they run things and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s just you don’t realize how many eyeballs and how much that can maybe distract from stuff just in a locker room being in the facility until you go somewhere else and you’re like… holy crap dude there’s none of that.”
Dallas is the richest and most valuable team in the world. But they haven’t won the Lombardi in the last three decades almost. They are running off the success of a dynasty from another century. Thus fans who have only grown up seeing them fail at the highest level, seem to have accepted the fate of their favorite franchise.
Fans Stand Divided After Dalton Schultz’s Zoo Comments
NFL World was aghast on both sides. Some people totally agree with the TE and his comments about distractions in Dallas. But then there are others who do not see eye to eye with Schultz’s comparison. Here are the best comments from around X, including one where a social media user says “Dallas Cowboys is a reality show..”:
The Dallas Cowboys is a reality show, an entertainment business. Not a football organization.
— Kyle (@kyle_zz046) March 6, 2024
Good lord. When Houston has a better culture than you do, that’s a horrible look for Dallas.
— P1 Macho Nadal (@MessicanDracula) March 6, 2024
Most of the supporters in Schultz’s corner looked like tired fans who really want to see someone enact change:
Jerry had created an atmosphere that’s not healthy and everyone knows it. He’s the Owner, the GM, does radio shows, speaks for the coach. Of
Course it’s a cultural issue.— Kevin Donalson (@DrKEDSR) March 6, 2024
It’s almost embarrassing. I wish it was a football only mentality over there.
— SoCalTommy509 (@TommyNacho) March 6, 2024
Some have even spoken from personal experiences:
I went to the practice facility, people were definitely banging on the glass when they saw dak, Tony pollard walking right behind us as well as Bryan Anger. That place is a movie. He is telling no lies here
— JC Cowboys Network (@JCcowboys_Netwk) March 6, 2024
There were others as well who thought the culture was not just Jerry Jones. And it is an amalgamation of how the whole football ecosystem in Dallas has grown over the years:
Well tbf its a business first? Entertainment is literally how they make multi million dollar contracts. They get paid to bash their heads for a stadium of people, this isn’t really any different.
— Zack (@BestHD123) March 7, 2024
Everyone takes shots when they leave but want to stay when they are here
— Joseph Buell (@JosephBuell) March 6, 2024
Schultz couldn’t handle the STARdom that is the Dallas Cowboys. It’s not for everyone….
— TheStarWeAre (@TheStarWeAre) March 6, 2024
So the issue has caught a spark and the fire is slowly spreading. If new people and important people choose to fan the flame, it might become a big issue that goes through the off-season. And it will also spice up any games that Houston and the Cowboys will have together. The journey after openly criticizing the Cowboys nation might be a tough one for Dalton Schultz.