What caused vomiting among Cowboys rookies at minicamp? Brian Schottenheimer’s honest take

What caused vomiting among Cowboys rookies at minicamp? Brian Schottenheimer’s honest take originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

During the first day of the Dallas Cowboys' 2026 rookie minicamp on May 1, head coach Brian Schottenheimer noted that several rookies struggled with the physical demands of the session. He specifically mentioned that the high-intensity drills led to health concerns, including instances of vomiting among the players.

“None of these guys are in great shape right now,” Schottenheimer said during a presser. “You might have seen a few guys getting sick yesterday, a little bit of vomiting going on.”

The vomiting was due to conditioning issues as the rookies weren't yet in NFL-level football shape. This is actually a common occurrence at rookie minicamps across the league. Many players arrive in "combine shape" (trained for testing drills like the 40-yard dash) rather than game-ready conditioning, which involves sustained high-intensity work during practice.

Schottenheimer's comments were straightforward and unsurprising for coaches familiar with rookie minicamps. It's essentially a "welcome to the NFL" reality check where the intensity and tempo of professional practices expose which players need to get on enhanced conditioning programs before the regular season begins.

Despite these conditioning hurdles, Schottenheimer was highly complimentary of the group's mental approach and talent. He described the 2026 class, particularly first-round pick , as having "elite" intelligence and character. He praised the rookies' versatility and ability to compete at a high level despite the early "physical distress".