Sunday gave Shemar James lots to celebrate , and the biggest reason had nothing to do with the Dallas Cowboys' 34-30 win over the Houston Texans. The 22-year-old linebacker found out at halftime that his wife, Erica Lewis, had gone into labor, leaving him with one thing on his mind once the game was over: getting home.
James still finished the game before making his way back to Dallas. But then, something really cool happened. Jerry Jones offered him a seat on the Jones family's private plane to help him get home faster. It turned a long trip home into a much quicker one, giving James a chance to be with his wife for that timeless moment.
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Shemar James goes through a drill during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility in Frisco, Texas. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer shared the postgame situation with reporters, explaining that James was already on his way back to Dallas while much of the team was still taking off its pads and uniforms, according to The Dallas Morning News .
"Shemar James' wife is in labor and he'll be flying home with the Joneses, and that's pretty cool," the Cowboys coach said during his post-game press conference . "Praying for an easy delivery, and God is good."
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Shemar James. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
James later explained just how much the Jones family's help meant to him when he spoke with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Tuesday, Oct. 6.
"It was cool to see that they care more about just football," James told the publication. "They care about our personal lives. That meant a lot to me that the Jones family was able to allow me to get on the plane and have the Uber there waiting at the hangar to make it to my wife."
The timing of the news was a little surreal. James' wife had gone into labor before the game but didn't tell him right away because she wanted him to stay focused on football.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones greets fans. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
"My wife went into labor before the game, and she didn't want to tell me until halftime," he said. "She wanted to keep me focused on the game. It was kind of surreal. When I heard it, I was like, I got to go right now, but [Cowboys Director of Security] Cable Johnson and the support staff were so helpful."
There was a happy ending to the frantic trip home. James made it to the hospital in time to see the birth of his first child, a son named Shemar James Jr. The baby weighed 6 lbs., 10 oz. Now, he's a dad like players such as Jared Goff .
"Healthy baby," he told the outlet. "Wife did it all natural, so she's a strong woman. She's the strongest woman in the world. The baby is healthy, she is healthy. I'm just happy to be a dad and a husband."
This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/athlete-lifestyle as Cowboys' Jerry Jones Helped a Player Get Home for a Life-Changing Moment .
