FRISCO, Texas -- With Thursday night's game against the Houston Texans canceled, the Dallas Cowboys will do what they can to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey.
They will hold a practice at AT&T Stadium that will coincide with a live telethon in which star players like Dak Prescott, Jason Witten and Dez Bryant will work the phones, taking pledges to raise money for the Salvation Army's relief efforts.
The 90-minute practice will not be open to the public but will be televised locally on KTVT and streamed live by the Cowboys on Facebook and Periscope.
"We all looked at each other and said, 'Let's do something.' Guys have been doing stuff all week," coach Jason Garrett said.
All proceeds from Thursday's game, which had been relocated from Houston to AT&T Stadium, were slated to go to the relief fund. With the cancellation, those who purchased the $25 game tickets can ask for a refund or have the money go to the relief fund.
As the Texans' J.J. Watt looks to push donations over $10 million for his relief fund, Cowboys players have made generous offers of their own.
Before he tended to his appeal of a six-game suspension over the weekend, Ezekiel Elliott said he made a $21,000 donation to the Salvation Army and challenged his teammates to give.
On Tuesday, Bryant answered with a $50,000 donation. Witten put his stadium suite up for auction for the game, with proceeds to benefit the Houston Area Women’s Center, a domestic violence shelter. With the game canceled, Witten said the center would still get the funds from his S.C.O.R.E. Foundation.
Second-year safety Kavon Frazier has organized efforts to send an 18-wheeler full of bottled water and toiletries down to Houston.
Through his 32 Cares Foundation, Orlando Scandrick is auctioning off signed and game-worn cleats as well as an autographed photo. For every $10 donated, fans will have a chance to win the raffle. The fundraiser goes through Sept. 6.
A Tuesday telethon sponsored by the Cowboys, which included former and current players, raised more than $100,000.
Dallas players, coaches, cheerleaders and mascot Rowdy are teaming up with the Salvation Army on Thursday to aid Hurricane Harvey evacuees who are sheltering in North Texas. Before practice, players will travel to the Salvation Army's Adult Rehabilitation Center in Dallas to unload approximately 300,000 pieces of apparel donated by the team's merchandise division, valued at roughly $500,000.
"Our guys are incredible," Garrett said. "They really are. I'm so inspired by our football players. The character they have and what they do for our football team, for their families and in the community, I'm not so sure people fully understand this, but pro football players get one day off a week all season long, and a number of guys on our team, and really on teams all through the league, go out to schools, get involved in different efforts week in and week out. It's just kind of what they do. It's what they're about. Again, I'm inspired by them. It doesn't surprise me one bit, and we're going to try to continue to help as we go forward."