Former Cowboys TE Peyton Hendershot says Chiefs are about winning, Dallas about ‘extracurriculars’

Peyton Hendershot is the latest person to openly question the Dallas Cowboys culture.

It is not a secret that some former Dallas Cowboys players do not believe the team is all about winning. Consider when Cole Beasley left the team and noted that the Buffalo Bills had better facilities. That was a long time ago, but in recent years Dalton Schultz left for the Houston Texans and caused a bit of a frenzy when he referred to the facility tours at The Star as a zoo-like atmosphere that players have to deal with.

During the week of Super Bowl LIX, another former player went on record about it all. I happen to be in New Orleans and caught up with Peyton Hendershot during the Kansas City Chiefs availability on Wednesday morning. We had a great chat about Hendershot’s career, his time at Indiana, what it’s like to be in this game and all of the obvious thing, but it goes without saying that Cowboys questions came up.

When asked about the pomp and circumstance associated with playing for America’s Team, Hendershot noted that there is a significant difference between his current team and old one, and in the exact same way that former Cowboys have done so in the past.

Hendershot spoke with incredible respect to the Cowboys. His tenor was not one of ill will or in trying to stir the pot. He answered the question with grace and in the most honest way that he could. People shouldn’t assume anything negative here.

But Hendershot confirmed what former Cowboys have said in the past by saying that the Chiefs, his current team, are purely focused on football and winning. In the tweet above he referred to “extracurriculars” being more of a priority with the Cowboys, and if you listen to the whole clip you will hear him say things like autograph signings and picture opportunities. He provided some legitimate depth to this subject that has encircled the team for some time.

One of the first Cowboys things I asked Hendershot was actually about last offseason specifically. You will recall that he was traded to Kansas City in August so things have been a whirlwind for him since the season started.

When asked if the chaos of last offseason that we all saw was something that he felt, he brought up the CeeDee Lamb contract and, like all of us, expressed bewilderment as to why the Cowboys took so long to get it done and noted that Lamb’s absence was a big deal. He even said that they went four to five months without seeing Lamb.

Like with the answer about the Cowboys culture this is hardly surprising, but it confirms the things we all tend to believe about the team and how they operate. It is sobering in that sense.

For a bit of optimism to end things with, when asked what the Cowboys are getting in Brian Schottenheimer since he worked with him, he noted that he doesn’t exactly know Schottenheimer that well, but he did offer a fair endorsement so to speak.