Dallas Cowboys strength and conditioning coordinator Markus Paul hospitalized after medical emergency

Dallas Cowboys strength and conditioning coordinator Markus Paul experienced a medical emergency shortly before 7:30 a.m. local time Tuesday, the team announced. Paul was immediately treated by club medical personnel then transported to a local hospital by ambulance.

© Bruce Kluckhohn, AP Dallas Cowboys players huddle on the field before an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020, in Minneapolis.

Paul, who joined the Cowboys’ strength staff in 2018 and was promoted to coordinator this year, remains in the hospital “undergoing further medical tests,” his family told the Cowboys.

Cowboys players and staff were told in their 8:05 a.m., local time meeting that practice would be canceled.

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A Frisco police spokesman told USA TODAY Sports the emergency was not of a criminal nature nor was foul play suspected.

The Cowboys initially attributed the cancellations to a “non-COVID related medical emergency involving a staff member” before later information became available.

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The Cowboys faced a short game-preparation week between a Sunday contest at Minnesota and Thanksgiving game hosting the Washington Football Team. The team had a walkthrough practice Monday and planned to practice in helmets Tuesday for “an hour, an hour 35 minutes,” McCarthy said Monday night.

In addition to cancelling practice, the Cowboys also canceled head coach Mike McCarthy’s press conference and scheduled interviews with players.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones still appeared for his 8:30 a.m. local time scheduled radio interview, signing off with a note about how fun the visit was as he spoke brightly about the 3-7 Cowboys’ win over the Vikings. Jones also confirmed that no member of the organization had tested positive for COVID-19 this week despite Vikings receiver Adam Thielen, whom Dallas faced Sunday, landing on the virus reserve list.

Less than 10 minutes after Jones’ appearance, the team announced the emergency and resulting schedule changes.

Before joining the Cowboys in 2018, Paul spent 11 seasons as the New York Giants' assistant strength and conditioning coach. He had also worked with the New York Jets, New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints staffs from 1998-2006. The Chicago Bears selected Paul, a defensive back who nabbed a school-record 17 interceptions at Syracuse, in the fourth round of the 1989 NFL draft. He played 71 games, with 15 starts, in five seasons with the Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Mara and Tisch families and the entire New York Giants organization are praying for Markus Paul. Markus was a beloved member of the Giants from 2007-2018. Our thoughts and prayers are with Markus and his family.

— New York Giants (@Giants) November 24, 2020

“Additional information will be made available at the appropriate time,” the Cowboys said in an afternoon statement. “The organization extends its prayers and support to the Paul family, and asks for friends and followers of Markus, his family and the team to keep them in their thoughts and prayers.”

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dallas Cowboys strength and conditioning coordinator Markus Paul hospitalized after medical emergency