DALLAS — Dallas Cowboys coach and British native Aden Durde is offering his thoughts on the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The former NFL linebacker is from Middlesex, England, which is in the southeastern part of the country.
Durde, Dallas' defensive line coach, spoke to reporters Thursday as the team gets ready for the season opener Sunday night.
"It's just sad for the country," Durde said about the queen's death. "I think on the other hand, you've got to celebrate a life. I've always grown up and had the queen."
"When you're from the country, [the queen] is very much a part of your life. It's on the coins, notes, everything," he added.
Durde played American football in the U.K. and made his way to NFL teams before becoming a coach. He first joined the Atlanta Falcons as a coach in 2018 and then became Cowboys' defensive line coach in 2021.
He said he just returned to England to visit home back in July.
The Cowboys coach told reporters the queen has been a big part of his life because that's all he knew growing up.
"It's always been there. My mum always talked about it... my wife, you just know the Royal Family's the Royal Family... a part of England," he said.
Durde called the queen "the essence of leadership."
"She never really got involved with all the things, but she would have a speech on Christmas Day and would say the right things. Always things that would make the country think and know what is the moral thing between right and wrong," he said.
