Cowboys super fans keep cheering with team's season in crisis
DALLAS — Monday night's blowout loss to the Houston Texans was probably the last nail in the coffin of the 2024 Cowboys' season.
But there are still seven games left in the season, so players and coaches still need to get on the field and perform.
"This one hurts. The collapse happened during the season. It wasn't a post-season collapse. This one happened early and fast," said Jaime Castro, better known as "Ballz Mahoney," a Cowboys superfan.
After another home blowout, fans are left wondering what to look forward to with seven games remaining.
"The fans are frustrated, we're all disappointed, we're all tired of the same thing over and over," said Castro.
However, players and coaches are also dealing with their current situation, and that can take a toll on them mentally.
"If you show fear in the locker room, it's like an injured lion in a lion pride; you're gone. That's just the way it is," said Dr. Richard Trammel, a sports psychologist who has worked with NFL players.
He knows that playing for the Cowboys comes with different expectations.
"The crown weighs heavy when you're the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. That's 'America's Team,'" said Trammel.
And fan expectations at the beginning of the year impact players.
"Beginning of the season, training camp, everything is popping, we're all feeling great, great, great. All of a sudden, lose a couple games early, that's ok we can bounce back,"
"All of a sudden, a couple more losses it becomes a thing of termination. What that simply means in my world is, it's over. Now we don't care,"
Now, the challenge for coaches will be to keep players focused on what is likely a lost season.
"The challenge for the coaching staff would be to salvage this so-called team environment. How? With a series of incentives," said Trammel.
He suggests financial incentives or even a new car.
But for fans like Castro, the optimism never ceases.
"Keep cheering, I know it's tough but we got to do our part as fans and stick through the good and bad. The good days are going to come, eventually, they're going to come," he said.
There's always next year.