Cowboys Tent Collapses; Asst. Coach Breaks Back

By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted May 2, 2009 7:07 PM CDT
Cowboys Tent Collapses; Asst. Coach Breaks Back
Firefighters investigate the collapsed canopy that covered the Dallas Cowboys indoor football facility in Irving, Texas, on Saturday, May 2, 2009.   (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Dallas Cowboys special teams coach Joe DeCamillis broke his back and 11 more were injured when winds just shy of tornado strength ripped through the roof of the team's indoor practice facility during a rookie minicamp today. Former coach Dan Reeves, DeCamillis' father-in-law, said the first-year Dallas coach has broken vertebrae in his lower back. "They say he's lucky not to be paralyzed," Reeves said.

The storm hit while 27 players were going through workouts. Officials say there were about 70 people in the facility. Of the 12 hospitalized, 10 were taken by emergency vehicles and two went on their own. "Right now, I think we don't have anybody who is in a life-threatening situation," said one doctor. (More Dallas Cowboys stories.)

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