FRISCO, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones revealed to the world on Tuesday that he's indulged in some exotic culinary choices, including raccoons and squirrels.
The subject came up in a radio interview on 105.3 The Fan since Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Xavier Legette, the Cowboys' Week 15 opponent, told the "St. Brown Podcast" that he's consumed raccoons.
"I've eaten a lot of raccoon," Jones said on Tuesday. "Yes, the answer is yes. I've eaten it hunting, and I've actually had it served by my mom at the table away from hunting. ... It's not uncommon at all. ... One of my favorites is squirrel. It's wonderful, and my mother could do a great job of [preparing] it. We all had our favorite pieces. ... My mom and I would even ask for the brain in a squirrel. Delicious. Seriously."
Jones' Cowboys players had mixed reactions to being told this new information about their boss. Some backed Jones up while others offered up incredulous looks.
"I love squirrel too, you know I'm from Louisiana, so we eat that type of stuff down there," Cowboys return man/wide receiver KaVontae Turpin said on Wednesday. "So yeah, I've eaten squirrel before. I've never had any raccoon though. I've had squirrel though for sure."
Naturally, it was a necessity to follow up with Turpin regarding his specific take on squirrel brains. The Dallas Pro Bowl kick returner aligned with Jones on that topic as well given he's from Louisiana, and Jones is from Arkansas.
"In Louisiana, we eat those types of things," Turpin said. "Alligator, frog legs, all that type of stuff. That's the type of stuff we eat. So yeah, I feel what Jerry is talking about. ... We fry all that [squirrel brains and more] down there in Louisiana. That's how we eat all that down there in Louisiana. ... I don't know how Jerry eat his, but we fry ours in Louisiana. ... Squirrel legs, squirrel brain. We keep it all fried like chicken, that's how we eat ours."
The culinary appreciation of raccoons and squirrels may just be a piece of Southern culture because Detroit native and Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis is vehemently opposed to the idea of eating either squirrels or raccoons.
"Maybe quail, maybe that's the gamiest thing I've ever got. I like bison," Lewis said. "All the raccoons and stuff, I'm from up north. Detroit. We don't eat too many things like that. ... I'm basic proteins, I'm ok. ... I'm from up north. I don't know nothing about that bro."
