Dallas, TX

Like father, like son: Dallas-area players with NFL pedigree making impact on field

Published

2 years ago

November 13, 2024

Like father, like son: Dallas-area players with NFL pedigree making impact on field

North Texas is home to a considerable number of former pro athletes, whose children tend to show up the playing fields of Texas high school sports.

Here are several you’ll see under the lights during the 2024 high school football playoffs.

Patrick Crayton Jr.

The son of former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Patrick Crayton Sr. led Hebron to its first playoff appearance in four seasons last week with a 59-21 win against Flower Mound. Crayton Jr. has completed 110 of 177 passes for 1,572 yards with 15 touchdowns and four interceptions. He is also second on the team in rushing yards (448) and rushing touchdowns (eight).

Crayton Jr. will try to extend his senior season against Prosper Rock Hill on Thursday.

CJ and Cooper Witten

The sons of former Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, CJ and Cooper Witten, have carved out their own path at Argyle Liberty Christian, where their dad is the coach. Both play defense for the TAPPS powerhouse.

CJ, a senior Rice commit, tallied 108 tackles last season, including 12 for loss, along with four fumble recoveries and a forced fumble, according to Sports Illustrated. His younger brother, Cooper, is a sophomore and the No. 1 safety in Texas for the Class of 2027. He was a key player on Argyle Liberty Christian’s 14-0 championship team in TAPPS Division II in 2023.

Argyle Liberty Christian has a bye this week and will start its state title defense next week in the TAPPS state quarterfinals.

Maliek Hawkins

Frisco Emerson’s Maliek Hawkins, an Oklahoma commit, is the son of former NFL cornerback Mike Hawkins Sr., who played for the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns for two seasons. Hawkins’ other son, Mike Hawkins Jr., is a quarterback at Oklahoma.

The younger Hawkins brother helped Emerson secure the fourth seed in 4-5A Division II, one of the most competitive districts in the area. He played a key role in the school’s run to the 5A Division II state semifinals last season and will look to advance again this year Friday against Argyle in the first round of the playoffs.

On Twitter/X: @ronharrodjr

Find more high school sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

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Related Topics:Adamson School allen Allen School Anna School Argyle Liberty Christian School Argyle School Arlington Arlington Bowie School Arlington Grace Prep School Arlington Lamar School Arlington Martin School Arlington Oakridge School Arlington Pantego Christian School Arlington Sam Houston School Arlington School Arlington Seguin School Arlington Trinity Leadership Aubrey School Birdville School Bishop Dunne School Bishop Lynch School Blue Ridge Bryan Adams School carrollton Carrollton Creekview School Carrollton Newman Smith School Carrollton Prince of Peace Christian School Carrollton R.L. Turner School Carrollton Ranchview School Carter School Cedar Hill Cedar Hill Newman Cedar Hill School Celina School Cistercian School Colleyville Colleyville Covenant Christian School Colleyville Heritage School Conrad School Coppell Coppell School Corsicana Mildred School Corsicana School Covenant School School Crandall School Crowley School Dallas Christian School Denton Denton Braswell School Denton Guyer School Denton Ryan School Denton School desoto DeSoto School Duncanville Duncanville School Ennis School Episcopal School of Dallas School Euless Trinity School Faith Family School Featured Ferris School First Baptist School Flower Mound Flower Mound Coram Deo School Flower Mound Marcus School Flower Mound School Football Forney School Fort Worth All Saints School Fort Worth Christian School Fort Worth Country Day School Fort Worth Lake Country School Fort Worth Nolan School Fort Worth Southwest Christian School Fort Worth Temple Christian School Fort Worth Trinity Valley School Frisco Frisco Centennial School Frisco Emerson School Frisco Heritage School Frisco Independence School Frisco Lebanon Trail School Frisco Legacy Christian School Frisco Liberty School Frisco Lone Star School Frisco Memorial School Frisco Panther Creek Frisco Reedy School Frisco School Frisco Wakeland School Garland Garland Lakeview Centennial School Garland Naaman Forest School Garland School Gateway Charter School Grand Prairie Grand Prairie School Grapevine Grapevine Faith Christian School Grapevine School Greenhill School Haltom School Hebron School high schools highland park Hillcrest School hurst Hurst L.D. Bell School Irving Irving MacArthur School Irving Nimitz School Irving School Jesuit School John Paul II School Justin Northwest School Kaufman School Keller Keller Central School Keller Fossil Ridge School Keller Timber Creek School Kennedale School Kimball School Lake Dallas School Lake Highlands Lake Highlands School Lancaster Lancaster School Lewisville Lewisville School Life Oak Cliff School Life Waxahachie School lincoln school Little Elm School Lovejoy School Madison School Mansfield Lake Ridge School Mansfield Legacy School Mansfield School Mansfield Summit School Mansfield Timberview School mckinney McKinney Boyd School McKinney Christian School McKinney North School McKinney School Melissa School mesquite Mesquite Horn School Mesquite Poteet School Mesquite School Midlothian Heritage School Midlothian School Molina School Nevada Community School North Crowley School North Dallas School North Forney School North Garland North Mesquite School Northwest Eaton School Parish Episcopal School Pilot Point School Pinkston School Plano Plano East School Plano School Plano West School Ponder School Prestonwood Christian School Princeton School Prosper Prosper Rock Hill School Prosper School Prosper Walnut Grove School Red Oak School Richardson Richardson Berkner School Richardson Pearce School Richardson School Richland School Rockwall Rockwall School Rockwall-Heath School Roosevelt School Rowlett Rowlett School Royse City School Sachse Sachse School Samuell School Sanger School Seagoville School Shelton School Skyline School South Garland School South Grand Prairie School South Oak Cliff South Oak Cliff School Southlake Southlake Carroll School Spruce School St. Mark's School Sunnyvale School Sunset School Terrell School The Colony The Colony School Thomas Jefferson School Trinity Christian - Addison School Trophy Club Byron Nelson School W.T. White School Waxahachie School West Mesquite School Woodrow Wilson School Wylie Wylie East School Wylie School

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Dallas, TX

CJ Goodwin announces retirement after 8 seasons with Cowboys

Published

13 minutes ago

June 29, 2026

Press Room

CJ Goodwin announces retirement after 8 seasons with Cowboys

FRISCO, Texas — After 12 seasons in the NFL and the last eight with the Dallas Cowboys, defensive back CJ Goodwin has announced his retirement.

Goodwin, 36, has played in 108 games for the Cowboys since he joined the team in 2018. He was the second longest-tenured Cowboy on the roster behind only Dak Prescott, who preceded Goodwin by two seasons.

Since 2019, Goodwin has been one of Dallas’ key players on special teams, recording 69 tackles with the Cowboys [ninth in Cowboys history] and 87 in his NFL career. In 2021, Goodwin became the first player in franchise history to lead the team in special teams tackles for three consecutive seasons.

After going undrafted in 2014, Goodwin received a tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers after Steelers Hall of Fame cornerback Mel Blount, whose son attended high school with Goodwin and who Goodwin had worked for as a farm hand, urged the team to give him an opportunity. Pittsburgh would sign him as an undrafted free agent afterwards.

Following time with the Steelers, Falcons, Cardinals, Giants, 49ers and Bengals, the Cowboys signed Goodwin off of Cincinnati’s practice squad in October of 2018.

In his eight seasons with Dallas, Goodwin notched 2,211 snaps on special teams. He worked primarily as a gunner on punt coverage and was one of Dallas’ most impactful defenders on kickoff coverage during his career with the team.

Goodwin was named one of the Cowboys’ six captains in 2025, and the second captain on special teams alongside Brandon Aubrey. He finished the year with 18 special teams tackles.

In 2026, the Cowboys will now have to look to fill Goodwin’s shoes on special teams. Some of their offseason signings, like safety P.J. Locke, have a strong history as defenders on special teams and could end up being crucial for special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen in his second season in Dallas.

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Dallas, TX

Dallas community gathers donations for Venezuela

Published

10 hours ago

June 28, 2026

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Dallas community gathers donations for Venezuela

North Texans are working to provide any kind of help for those hurt and harmed by powerful and deadly earthquakes that have ravaged parts of Venezuela. Dozens of volunteers gathered at Salsa Roja to pack donation boxes, sending medical supplies, clothes, non-perishable food and water.

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Dallas, TX

Dallas weather: June 28 morning forecast

Published

20 hours ago

June 28, 2026

Press Room

Dallas weather: June 28 morning forecast

Temperatures are expected to climb into the upper-90s and triple digits over the next week, with no real sign of relief! Sunshine dominates the forecast, with only a very slim chance of rain by the end of next week.

Posted June 28, 2026 7:42am CDT