All 32 NFL teams have gone through the ugly process of finalizing their 53-man rosters, forcing them to let many players go. However, the real hustle is off the field, as these unfortunate players deal with the stress of being waived and let go. Brian Schottenheimer’s wife urged fans to be considerate of their pain.

“Something to remember over the next 24-48 hours as NFL cuts start to be announced and final rosters are determined: These players are real people, with real lives, real families, real emotions, real feelings, real hopes and real dreams. Be mindful of this…” Gemmi Schottenheimer shared a message on an IG story.

“Really tough couple of days,” she added.

It was a tough call, but Brian Schottenheimer and the Dallas Cowboys had to say goodbye to some players to make their final roster.

“The process is still the same. We do it the way we do it,” Schottenheimer said on August 26. “We’ll play the game on Friday, and we’ll get in here early on Saturday, and we’ll blink the film for some of those last looks with some of these guys that are in contested or heated position battles. And we’ll have a meeting, and we’ll dissect a lot of different things, and we’ll start with one side of the ball or the other, and we’ll debate.”

The Cowboys waived 28 players as they trimmed their roster to 53. Some in the group were running backs Israel Abanikanda, Jaydon Blue, Jashaun Corbin, and Phil Mafah, and linebackers Justin Barron, Isaiah Land and Langston Patterson. The list also includes safety Julius Wood, who led the Cowboys in the preseason with 16 tackles. This is the second time he was cut by Dallas, despite shining in training camp.

Wide receivers Tyler Johnson, Denzel Mims, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, cornerback Derioin Kendrick, center Nick Leverett, and linebackers Curtis Robinson and Sam Williams have all been released.

Dallas also traded offensive tackle Nate Thomas to the Houston Texans in exchange for a 2027 draft pick.

Dallas will, however, keep three quarterbacks on their roster. Behind Dak Prescott, there was a “neck-and-neck” battle for QB2 between Sam Howell and Joe Milton III, per Schottenheimer. However, with both QBs getting to shine in their own respective moments, they will both get to suit up for the Cowboys this season.

However, the waived players might still get a bite at the cherry. Around 512 players can still join practice squads, while others may get another chance by signing with a different team’s 53-man roster.

But Brian Schottenheimer’s wife is right: the roster cut might happen after a lot of evaluation, but it does take a toll on players’ mindsets. One such example is Oakland Raiders former defensive end Ryan Riddle, who was cut by his team back in 2006.

That moment tore him apart and left a lasting impression on him, as he described his journey to Bleacher Report.

“When I called my father, who had been so proud of my accomplishments, I put up a pretty decent front, sounding somewhat positive about the situation and how this is all just a normal part of the business,” Riddle said back in 2018. “I hated the obvious disappointment in his voice.

“Inside, it was killing me. I was defeated and terribly devastated……I never shed a single tear that day. … I was never told a reason why I was cut.”

Even Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell has expressed his displeasure with the entire process.

“It’s something that has to be done, and you want to do it as respectfully as you can,” Campbell said last year. “You don’t want to lie to the player; you just tell them straight up, and it’s hard. But it’s the right way to do it.”

All players signed in the offseason give their everything to make the final roster. However, only a select group will get that honor.