Cowboys OL Coach Details Why He Judges Players by How They Dispense Ketchup

Dallas Cowboys offensive line coach Paul Alexander has a unique way to determine if a player will be successful.

Per SB Nation Radio's Bobby Belt, Alexander wrote a passage in his book, Perform, about the importance of properly dispensing ketchup from the bottle:

Specifically, for those players who would dare hit the bottle on the bottom, Alexander doesn't think you are right for his offensive line.

"When I see a large football player turn a bottle of ketchup upside down and pound at its heel with tremendous force yet with limited success, I immediately make the mental note: He must either play defensive line, or if he plays offensive line, he can't play for me," Alexander wrote.

Alexander's book was released in 2011. It details his time working as an assistant coach in the NFL and a student training with concert pianist Albert Muhlbock.

The ketchup strategy is certainly unique, though it has helped Alexander maintain a steady career as a coach in the NFL. He spent the previous 24 years working with the Cincinnati Bengals before being hired by the Cowboys in January.

The Cowboys drafted guard Connor Williams in the second round last month. There's no official word on how he fared in Alexander's predraft ketchup exam prior to being selected.