Dalton Schultz is happy to be able to focus on football again.
The newly-minted $36-million man has found a rich vein of form with the Texans, enjoying his second-most productive season as a pro last year with the franchise. He was rewarded with a three-year contract extension, one that cements his place as one of the sport's better tight ends.
Schultz donned the famous navy, silver, and white for the Cowboys during his first five years in the league. He achieved decent success with Dallas, as well, racking up 2,122 yards and 17 touchdowns during his Cowboys spell.
Yet, he found it much easier to keep his mind on football with the Texans, which he explained while talking to ESPN's Pat McAfee.
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What did Dalton Schultz say about the Cowboys?
Speaking on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Thursday, Schultz explained the differences between playing in Houston and Dallas, and although the two share geographical proximity, the environments surrounding each franchise are wildly different.
“The focus is just football,” Schultz said of the Texans. “Going back and telling some people about being around the Cowboys’ practice facility and game day, describing some of the interactions and stuff that you see on a day-to-day basis, it surprises a lot of people. They’re like ‘Holy crap, that actually happens at a practice facility?’"
💥Schultz on the difference between how the Cowboys and Texans are ran.
— Skywalker Steele (@SkywalkerSteele) March 6, 2024
“The focus is (in Houston) is just on football”
On lifting in the weight room: “It’s like a Zoo dude, people tapping on the glass…It’s different that’s the brand they built and what Jerry Jones likes” pic.twitter.com/wkrqGqTzNE
Schultz was a pivotal part of the Cowboys' attack, serving as a safety valve for Dak Prescott on the few occasions when the pocket would collapse. He made his mark in the red-zone and short-yardage situations, showcasing a penchant for sure-handedness that made him a valuable commodity.
However, the former Dallas standout indicated the cultural touchstone that is Cowboys football can be a bit much, at least when compared to other NFL franchises. Practice facilities turn into cesspools, filled with folks wandering about hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite players. It's all quite jarring, Schultz explained.
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“There’s people literally going on tours while you’re lifting in the weight room. They’ve got a one-way mirror for people to look in. It’s literally a zoo,” Schultz said of the Cowboys. “There’s people tapping on the glass, trying to get people’s attention while they’re doing power cleans or whatever. It’s different."
It's a stark contrast from the habitat that DeMeco Ryans has cultivated in Houston, Schultz said. There, players are able to worry about their performances away from the limelight.
Schultz had nothing bad to say about the Cowboys, specifically, expressing that the celebrity culture of the team comes from its eccentric owner, Jerry Jones. But it makes for a marked difference when you escape the clutches of the Evil Empire and take your talents elsewhere.
"That’s the brand that they’ve built, that’s what Jerry Jones likes, that’s the way they run things, and there’s nothing wrong with that," Schultz said. "It’s just you don’t realize how many eyeballs and how much that can maybe distract from stuff in the locker room being in the facility until you go somewhere else and you’re like, ‘Holy crap, there’s none of that.’”
