Cowboys TE Coach Mike Pope Throws Ice Water on Players, Because Football

When Mike Pope tells you to pop your top and catch some footballs, you don't ask questions.

You also don't ask questions when he starts throwing ice water on your back. That's just Pope applying his arcane magic.

The Dallas Cowboys tight end coach works in mysterious ways, and he put on his latest clinic on Wednesday when he began sluicing the Dallas pass-catchers with cups of ice water.

Deadspin's Sean Newell spotted video of the drill, which takes place for important "football reasons."

It's all about concentration, as Pope says.

"Concentrate on the ball, don't flinch, don't bat your eyes," Pope told Fox 4 in Dallas. "Everything we do has to do with that. If they can't play with distractions, they can't play."

But can they play with their heads stuffed into sacks?

Rainer Sabin of The Dallas Morning News reports that Pope had the tight ends catch passes with laundry bags on their heads.

Report confirmed:

Sometimes, you put your face in a bag and catch footballs. It's not weird if it works.

Pope, a proven winner, doesn't need to explain himself or his laundry bags. The former New York Giants position coach is the only guy who was around for all four of the Giants' Super Bowl trophies. He taught Mark Bavaro, Howard Cross and Jeremy Shockey how to catch footballs in less-than-optimal circumstances, and he can help you, too.

Sure, his drills look like freshman initiation at the Delta house, but there are solid football reasons for these practices. Namely, they work.

#FootballReasons

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