Markus Paul, who was the Dallas Cowboys' strength and conditioning coordinator, has died, the team announced Wednesday. He was 54.
The team did not announce Paul's cause of death.
"The loss of a family member is a tragedy, and Markus Paul was a loved and valued member of our family," Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones said in a press release. "He was a pleasant and calming influence in our strength room and throughout The Star. His passion for his work and his enthusiasm for life earns him great respect and admiration from all of our players and the entire organization. We offer our love and support to his family in this very difficult time. Our hearts are broken for his family and all of the individuals whose lives he touched and made better."
On Tuesday, the team had canceled practice after Paul experienced a medical emergency at its facility and was rushed to the hospital, the Associated Press reported.
"We extend our love, strength, and support to Markus' family during this most challenging of times and ask that their privacy be respected moving forward," head coach Mike McCarthy said in a statement. "Markus Paul was a leader in this building. He earned the players' respect and attention because he cared so much and was a naturally gifted communicator – both on the personal and professional levels. He handled every situation, sometimes with a smile and a pat on the back, and sometimes with tough love. He had innate toughness in a job that requires that quality, and he was admired throughout the NFL by his peers and the players he coached. It was a privilege to work with him as a coach and laugh with him as a friend. Markus did everything the right way."
McCarthy named Paul the team's strength coach in January.
Drafted out of Syracuse, the former safety played from 1989 to 1993 for the Chicago Bears and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to the AP.
According to ESPN, Paul won five Super Bowl championships as a coach, three with the New England Patriots and two with the New York Giants.
Dallas is still scheduled to play Washington on Thanksgiving.
