January 13 2023
https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/past-present-former-trainer-cochren-passes-away

One of the first athletic trainers in Cowboys his-
tory passed away at the age of 90 this week.

Don Cochren, who spent nearly 30 years with the
Cowboys organization, was around for all 5 Super
Bowl wins in some capacity, mostly as the head
athletic trainer.

A second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, Cochren
joined the Cowboys in 1965 as the co-athletic
trainer for 8 years, before having the title as head
trainer until 1989. Cochren spent 1990-95 as a
trainer/medical records coordinator for a 6-year
period that saw 3 more Super Bowl wins before
officially retiring before the 1996 season.

Along the way, Cochren hired a couple of interns
in the mid-1980's that proved to be 2 of the back-
bones of the Cowboys' medical staff for the next
4 decades, including half of the current staff.

Head athletic trainer Jim Maurer, & Britt Brown,
the team's associate athletic trainer & director of
rehabilitation, both got their start with the Cow-
boys because of the guy they all called, "Cocky."

"Yeah, Britt and I were student trainers back in
1986 together & Don gave us the opportunity to
join the NFL in that capacity," said Maurer, who
has been with the Cowboys for 33 seasons. "Ob-
viously, it spurned us on to bigger and greater
things."

Brown, a student at TCU when he got selected to
be a season-long intern, said it was his time with
Cochren that opened his eyes that being in the NFL
was eventually the best path for him.

"At that point, I didn't think I'd ever be in the NFL,"
Brown said. "I thought I'd be a high school athletic
trainer. But being around 'Cocky,' it woke me up
that maybe this was something that I wanted to
do."

Brown, who is finishing up his 30th season with the
Cowboys, said Cochren was "ahead of his time" in
some of his practices.

Maurer added that during those times of the 70s &
80s, many NFL players had other jobs in the offsea-
son.

"Don was an athletic trainer & a physical therapist,
which was very rare in those days," Maurer said.
"Don, in the offseason, would travel to injured play-
ers. They worked real jobs. He went to them & made
sure they got the proper rehab done to make sure ...

.... they were ready for the next season. He was a little
bit innovative there, but that's also how the Cowboys
did things."

Cochren was the 2nd athletic trainer in Cowboys his-
tory, a group that only includes 10 full-time trainers,
with 4 on the current staff.

Cochren, survived by his wife Jan & son Chris, was an
athletic trainer for the 1980 USA Olympic team. He was
honored as a distinguished alumni from Purdue in 1992.

--- --- ---

On Friday, January 13, 2023 at 8:58:11 PM UTC-5, observer wrote:
> January 13 2023
> https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/past-present-former-trainer-cochren-passes-away
>
> One of the first athletic trainers in Cowboys his-
> tory passed away at the age of 90 this week.
>
> Don Cochren, who spent nearly 30 years with the
> Cowboys organization, was around for all 5 Super
> Bowl wins in some capacity, mostly as the head
> athletic trainer.
>
> A second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, Cochren
> joined the Cowboys in 1965 as the co-athletic
> trainer for 8 years, before having the title as head
> trainer until 1989. Cochren spent 1990-95 as a
> trainer/medical records coordinator for a 6-year
> period that saw 3 more Super Bowl wins before
> officially retiring before the 1996 season.
>
> Along the way, Cochren hired a couple of interns
> in the mid-1980's that proved to be 2 of the back-
> bones of the Cowboys' medical staff for the next
> 4 decades, including half of the current staff.
>
> Head athletic trainer Jim Maurer, & Britt Brown,
> the team's associate athletic trainer & director of
> rehabilitation, both got their start with the Cow-
> boys because of the guy they all called, "Cocky."
>
> "Yeah, Britt and I were student trainers back in
> 1986 together & Don gave us the opportunity to
> join the NFL in that capacity," said Maurer, who
> has been with the Cowboys for 33 seasons. "Ob-
> viously, it spurned us on to bigger and greater
> things."
>
> Brown, a student at TCU when he got selected to
> be a season-long intern, said it was his time with
> Cochren that opened his eyes that being in the NFL
> was eventually the best path for him.
>
> "At that point, I didn't think I'd ever be in the NFL,"
> Brown said. "I thought I'd be a high school athletic
> trainer. But being around 'Cocky,' it woke me up
> that maybe this was something that I wanted to
> do."
>
> Brown, who is finishing up his 30th season with the
> Cowboys, said Cochren was "ahead of his time" in
> some of his practices.
>
> Maurer added that during those times of the 70s &
> 80s, many NFL players had other jobs in the offsea-
> son.
>
> "Don was an athletic trainer & a physical therapist,
> which was very rare in those days," Maurer said.
> "Don, in the offseason, would travel to injured play-
> ers. They worked real jobs. He went to them & made
> sure they got the proper rehab done to make sure ...
>
> ... they were ready for the next season. He was a little
> bit innovative there, but that's also how the Cowboys
> did things."
>
> Cochren was the 2nd athletic trainer in Cowboys his-
> tory, a group that only includes 10 full-time trainers,
> with 4 on the current staff.
>
> Cochren, survived by his wife Jan & son Chris, was an
> athletic trainer for the 1980 USA Olympic team. He was
> honored as a distinguished alumni from Purdue in 1992.
>
> --- --- ---
Was he part of the current 28-year drought?

Follow-up:

A photo of Don working on injured Cowboys
halfback Dan Reeves (not sure when the photo
was taken).
https://www.shutterstock.com/editorial/image-editorial/cowboys-reeves-dallas-usa-6624999a

Dan Reeves career player page
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/ReevDa00.htm

Dan Reeves career head coaching page
(Dan was a Cowboys backfield coach
1975-1976 & Cowboys offensive coor-
dinator 1977-1980 prior to becoming
Broncos head coach in 1981)
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/ReevDa0.htm

In memory of Dan Reeves who
passed away January 1 2022
https://groups.google.com/g/alt.sports.football.pro.dallas-cowboys/c/UftACu-Zpi0/m/e98fOEgVAgAJ

On Friday, January 13, 2023 at 7:58:11 PM UTC-6, observer wrote:

..> January 13 2023
..> https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/past-present-former-trainer-cochren-passes-away
..>
..> One of the first athletic trainers in Cowboys his-
..> tory passed away at the age of 90 this week.
..>
..> Don Cochren, who spent nearly 30 years with the
..> Cowboys organization, was around for all 5 Super
..> Bowl wins in some capacity, mostly as the head
..> athletic trainer.
..>
..> A second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, Cochren
..> joined the Cowboys in 1965 as the co-athletic
..> trainer for 8 years, before having the title as head
..> trainer until 1989. Cochren spent 1990-95 as a
..> trainer/medical records coordinator for a 6-year
..> period that saw 3 more Super Bowl wins before
..> officially retiring before the 1996 season.
..>
..> Along the way, Cochren hired a couple of interns
..> in the mid-1980's that proved to be 2 of the back-
..> bones of the Cowboys' medical staff for the next
..> 4 decades, including half of the current staff.
..>
..> Head athletic trainer Jim Maurer, & Britt Brown,
..> the team's associate athletic trainer & director of
..> rehabilitation, both got their start with the Cow-
..> boys because of the guy they all called, "Cocky."
..>
..> "Yeah, Britt and I were student trainers back in
..> 1986 together & Don gave us the opportunity to
..> join the NFL in that capacity," said Maurer, who
..> has been with the Cowboys for 33 seasons. "Ob-
..> viously, it spurned us on to bigger and greater
..> things."
..>
..> Brown, a student at TCU when he got selected to
..> be a season-long intern, said it was his time with
..> Cochren that opened his eyes that being in the NFL
..> was eventually the best path for him.
..>
..> "At that point, I didn't think I'd ever be in the NFL,"
..> Brown said. "I thought I'd be a high school athletic
..> trainer. But being around 'Cocky,' it woke me up
..> that maybe this was something that I wanted to
..> do."
..>
..> Brown, who is finishing up his 30th season with the
..> Cowboys, said Cochren was "ahead of his time" in
..> some of his practices.
..>
..> Maurer added that during those times of the 70s &
..> 80s, many NFL players had other jobs in the offsea-
..> son.
..>
..> "Don was an athletic trainer & a physical therapist,
..> which was very rare in those days," Maurer said.
..> "Don, in the offseason, would travel to injured play-
..> ers. They worked real jobs. He went to them & made
..> sure they got the proper rehab done to make sure ...
..>
..> ... they were ready for the next season. He was a little
..> bit innovative there, but that's also how the Cowboys
..> did things."
..>
..> Cochren was the 2nd athletic trainer in Cowboys his-
..> tory, a group that only includes 10 full-time trainers,
..> with 4 on the current staff.
..>
..> Cochren, survived by his wife Jan & son Chris, was an
..> athletic trainer for the 1980 USA Olympic team. He was
..> honored as a distinguished alumni from Purdue in 1992.
..>
..> *--- --- ---*