Dallas, TX
Cooper Beebe candid about his transition to Cowboys’ center: ‘It’s become second nature’
OXNARD, Calif. — Nothing is being handed to Cooper Beebe, but that’s not stopping him from working his ass off to try and take it. Despite getting the nod as one of the Dallas Cowboys’ two third-round picks from the 2024 NFL Draft, he’s being forced to earn his way into the role of starting center after being converted to the position from guard, where he dominated at Kansas State.
Three words: trust the process.
“I think I’m doing pretty well,” said Beebe following the second scrimmage against the Rams, where he earned first-team reps at center for the first time. ” … Going against their best guys helps and continues to prepare me for those looks versus those top guys — it’s invaluable.”
Having drawn a mountain of praise from head coach Mike McCarthy and players alike for how quickly he’s come along, Beebe is acing the eye test and without a No. 2 pencil.
That exam included his first-ever preseason matchup in the NFL, where he put a lot of good on film against the Rams. With the butterflies of his first official game out of the way, the rest of his cocoon can now begin shedding, and has.
“When I went out there for my first preseason game, it was surreal,” he said. “… Getting that experience under my belt was a dream come true.”
He settled in nicely on Aug. 11, including with his declarations at the line of scrimmage, and it’s not as if seeing Cowboys’ legend and former center Travis Frederick patrolling practice in Oxnard added any pressure.
OK, of course it did, but it served as added motivation and, if early film is any indication, it worked.
“Obviously, once you get in a game it’s easier,” Beebe said. “The playbook shortens down and it gets easier, but I think I’ve been doing well. There are some weird looks here and there that I’ve got to continue working on but, overall, I think I’m doing pretty well.”
To achieve the mission against a worthy teammate in Brock Hoffman, which is still incomplete heading into their second preseason game, this time against the Las Vegas Raiders, Beebe truly needed to perfect his ability to snap the ball before he could be viewed as a viable starting center in the NFL — something he struggled with at the start of training camp in Oxnard, consistency-wise.
But with a combination of offseason relentlessness that included snapping in the yard to his mom and family and the added work he’s put in outside of practice in South California, he’s already so far along in the process that he looks comfortable; and he’s not overthinking anymore.
Again, objectively speaking, he’s worked his ass off.
“It’s become second nature,” said the former Unanimous All-American. “I just know that unless they say something to me, it was a good snap. I really don’t worry about it anymore.”
Learning from a future first ballot Hall of Famer in Zack Martin doesn’t hurt, nor does the fact Martin mans the post directly next to Beebe — allowing for real-time advice and adjustments from one of the best to ever play the game.
The relationship between the two is off to a great start, and Beebe credits the nine-time All-Pro as being a key reason for not only his progress, but also with how swiftly it’s occurring.
“The biggest thing is [he shows me] how to be a pro, how to take care of your body, how to study film and the things he looks for,” said Beebe. “It’s that kind of stuff, and just little stuff people don’t think about that makes the biggest difference. I think, for me, it’s how consistent he is with his sets and how he carries his hands.
“With him, every rep is the same and that’s the reason he’s great — consistency.”
And that has, thus far, been what McCarthy and the Cowboys have been waiting to see from Beebe before awarding him first-team reps in training camp and in preseason games.
He’s not taken their faith in him lightly. His work ethic has been blue collar, and it’s creating a very bright silver lining to his early camp hiccups.
And that’s perfect, considering blue and silver are … well … you get it.
“At the end of the day, I control how things go,” Beebe explained, standing firmly in his self-confidence. “I have to continue to work and continue to get better. It’s my hands how things go. … [During the preseason opener] I was a little nervous but you get through that first play, you realize it’s just football.
“It’s something I’ve been doing my entire life and that’s why it’s comfortable for me.”
It’s definitely made easier by the fact he played defensive line in high school, not unlike how Trevon Diggs parlayed his days as wide receiver into becoming a record-setting NFL cornerback.
“It helps a lot,” said Beebe. “You figure out what defenders are trying to do and how they’re trying to attack you, and those different things. I definitely see some of their techniques that I used when I played defensive tackle that I look out for now that I’m an offensive lineman.”
There’s a very real chance that Beebe will join fellow rookie and first-round pick Tyler Guyton as Day 1 starters when the Cowboys travel to face the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 8 and, if so, it’ll mark one of the rare occasions in which Dallas will feature two rookies (and a Hall of Famer) on the same offensive line to begin a season.
It’s a good thing Beebe’s chemistry doesn’t simply flow to his right to Martin, but also to and through Tyler Smith to his left and outwardly toward Guyton; and both Guyton and Beebe have been training this offseason with offensive line guru Duke Manyweather of OL Masterminds.
The bond is there, and it’s real.
“Oh, that’s my guy!” he said excitedly of Guyton. “We met up in college. Obviously, he played at [Oklahoma] and I was at [Kansas State] so we’ve known each other for a while, and to get drafted to the same place? We were clicking right away.”
There is no shortage of pressure on Beebe to get up to speed, and while it’s not nearly as much as the amount that rests on the shoulders of Guyton, Beebe doesn’t view it that way. To him, he has the same level of responsibility as does Guyton, regardless of draft status.
Plenty of work remains for Beebe and it will honestly never stop, just ask Martin, but he’s opening plenty of eyes to begin his professional career with the Cowboys.
The bottom line is Beebe is getting it out of the dirt, while putting more and more defenders in it.
Dallas, TX
Public frustration grows as Dallas leaders debate billion‑dollar City Hall fix or relocation
Dallas, TX
Hip-hop hitmaker Cardi B coming to AAC in Dallas
Cardi B, one of hip-hop’s most outsize personalities — and one of its most reliable hitmakers — is coming to Dallas.
The New York City-born rapper broke through in 2017 with the hit single “Bodak Yellow,” launching a chart-topping run that soon included “I Like It” and the blockbuster hit “WAP.” Her Grammy-winning debut album, Invasion of Privacy, cemented her as a defining voice in contemporary rap, blending brash humor, confessional storytelling and club-ready production.
The 33-year-old’s success helped boost the profile of women in a genre long dominated by men, encouraging record labels to sign more female rappers. She has frequently teamed up with rising female artists, including GloRilla, FendiDa Rappa and “WAP” collaborator Megan Thee Stallion.
Cardi’s stop at American Airlines Center is part of the arena run supporting her second studio album, 2025’s Am I the Drama? Recent shows in the “Little Miss Drama Tour” have leaned into spectacle, with elaborate staging, surprise guest appearances and a set list that spans her entire career.
Fans can expect a high-energy performance built around booming trap beats, pop hooks and Cardi’s signature unfiltered banter — the same mix that has helped her sell out dates across the tour and turn concerts into party-like events.
DETAILS: March 7 at 7:30 p.m. at American Airlines Center in Dallas. Tickets start at $334.10, but some verified resale tickets are cheaper. ticketmaster.com.
Pop legend Diana Ross performs March 7 at the WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma.
Sarah Hepola
OTHER CONCERTS
Bluesy psychedelic rock band All Them Witches performs March 7 at House of Blues Dallas.
Travis Pinson
ALL THEM WITCHES March 7 at 8 p.m. at House of Blues Dallas. ticketmaster.com.
DIANA ROSS March 7 at 8 p.m. at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Okla. winstar.com.
RICH BRIAN March 7 at 8 p.m. at The Bomb Factory in Deep Ellum. axs.com.
TRACE ADKINS March 7 at 10 p.m. at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth. billybobstexas.com.
AFROJACK March 8 at 3 p.m. at It’ll Do Club in Deep Ellum. eventbrite.com.
LITHE March 8 at 8 p.m. at House of Blues Dallas. ticketmaster.com.
CONAN GRAY March 10 at 8 p.m. at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. ticketmaster.com.
MATISYAHU March 10 at 8 p.m. at the Granada Theater in Dallas. prekindle.com.
OUR LADY PEACE, WITH THE VERVE PIPE March 12 at 8 p.m. at Tannahill’s Tavern and Music Hall in Fort Worth. ticketmaster.com.
PAUL WALL March 12 at 9 p.m. and March 13 at 10 p.m. at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth. billybobstexas.com.
Dallas, TX
GOP candidates for Texas House face off in Collin County, Park Cities, North Dallas
The fiercest legislative primary fights Tuesday in North Texas were inside the GOP.
In Dallas County, two moderate GOP incumbent representatives faced challengers after being censured by their own county party.
In Collin County, several Republican state House members were fending off rivals running to their right.
The Dallas Morning News will provide live election results this evening when the polls close at 7 p.m. Results will be updated throughout the evening for statewide races and Dallas, Collin, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Rockwall and Tarrant counties.
Dallas County, House District 108
Republican Morgan Meyer, first elected in 2014, was challenged by attorney Sanjay Narayan in a district that includes the Park Cities, Oak Lawn and Preston Hollow.
Narayan criticized Meyer for backing renewable energy expansion and for being censured by the Dallas GOP last year.
Meyer was among House Republicans targeted after disputes over the House speaker vote and chamber rules. He and other lawmakers called the censure effort unconstitutional.
In the campaign, Meyer focused on property tax relief and emergency preparedness after the Camp Mystic tragedy.
Small business owner Allison Mitchell is unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Dallas County, House District 112
Republican Angie Chen Button, who has represented the district covering parts of Dallas, Richardson and Garland since 2009, drew three primary opponents.
Button has highlighted her support for small businesses and public schools and her bipartisan record. A senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, she would play a key role in the state’s property tax debate if reelected.
Dallas-area delegation in the Texas House of Representatives on Sunday, May 30, 2021, showing State Rep. Angie Chen Button, R-Garland, in the chamber.
Bob Daemmrich / Bob Daemmrich/CapitolPressPhoto
Opponents Chad Carnahan and Tina Price attacked Button for being censured by the Dallas GOP last year, a move she and other lawmakers have criticized as an internal party power struggle.
Carnahan, a businessman, said he wants to lower property taxes and prevent Shariah in Texas.
Price said she would improve public schools and spur the re-use of old buildings. Also in the GOP race: Perry E. Barker Sr.
Democrat Zach Herbert was unopposed.
Collin County, House District 61
Two Republicans are seeking to represent the district that covers most of McKinney and parts of Frisco and Celina.
Incumbent Keresa Richardson, who was elected in 2024, and former state Rep. Frederick Frazier both support eliminating property taxes.
Richardson, an entrepreneur, said she would expand the Texas voucher-like program for education.
Frazier, a former police officer and McKinney City Council member, was more cautious about expanding the program.

Frederick Frazier speaks as Rep. Keresa Richardson looks on during a candidate forum for Republicans in Collin County ahead of the March primary election at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, Tuesday, February 10, 2026.
Anja Schlein / Special Contributor
Two political newcomers, Jackie Bescherer and Brittany Black, are running in the Democratic primary. Both oppose Texas’ voucher program and vow to increase public education funding.
Collin County, House District 67
Republican Rep. Jeff Leach, first elected in 2012, faces Matt Thorsen in a district that includes parts of Plano, Allen, McKinney and Melissa.
Leach has highlighted his conservative record, including legislation barring Shariah in Texas courts. He also served as a House impeachment manager during Attorney General Ken Paxton’s 2023 trial, a role he has defended amid backlash from activists.
Thorsen, a small business owner and former youth pastor, helped lead the effort to censure Leach last year. He has criticized Leach’s impeachment role and accused him of siding with Democrats on House rules.
Both support eliminating property taxes, expanding education savings accounts and oppose the development formerly known as EPIC City. Two Democrats are also running, though the district has leaned Republican.
Collin County, House District 70
Three Republicans are competing for the nomination to run against incumbent Democrat Mihaela Plesa, who is running unopposed in her party’s primary.
Democrat Mihaela Plesa responds to questions during a District 70 Candidate Forum hosted by Raise Your Hand Texas at Plano ISD Academy High School in Plano on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022.
Liesbeth Powers / Staff Photographer
George Flint, a former district judge and Collin County Republican Party Chair, emphasized eliminating property taxes and securing the border in his campaign.
Jack Ryan Gallagher, an attorney, said he would attract companies to North Texas, improve public schools and partner with local law enforcement if elected.
Michael Hewitt, an attorney, said he would gradually lower property taxes and work to keep Texas a business-friendly state.
The district includes parts of Plano, Richardson and Far North Dallas.
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