Could Brian Schottenheimer's 'Cowboys Culture' Take Rueben Bain Off Dallas Draft Board?

A tragic accident was recently brought to life surrounding Miami defensive end Rueben Bain, who happens to be a player the Dallas Cowboys have been linked to leading up to the NFL draft.

Over the weekend, it was reported that Bain was the driver in a fatal March 2024 crash, which resulted in the death of 22-year-old Destiny Betts. Bain was initially charged with careless driving, but the charges were dropped.

While some reports state that teams are “investigating” the situation, Clarence Hill says teams aren’t calling this a “red flag,” while Outkick’s Trey Wallace claims teams have known about the accident “for a while.” That said, teams make huge investments in players and will surely do their due diligence before selecting Bain.

Will ‘Cowboys Culture’ be factored into the decision?

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks on before the game against the New York Giants. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer hasn’t been shy about his desire to “build the greatest culture in pro sports.” For that reason, the Cowboys will absolutely do their homework on Bain before making any decision.

As to whether or not they would take him off the board, that’s highly unlikely. Building the right culture doesn’t mean discarding a player for a past mistake. Instead, Schottenheimer and his staff will want to see how Bain has responded to the situation.

If he’s up front about the facts and they feel comfortable with his responses to their inquiries, the Cowboys would surely embrace Bain.

Jerry Jones believes in second chances

Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent on the field prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Schottenheimer is still relatively new to Dallas, but Jerry Jones has always believed in second chances. He once brought in Pacman Jones after multiple legal issues and a lengthy NFL suspension.

Jones also drafted Randy Gregory in 2015 despite Gregory’s failed drug test during the Combine. He even stuck by Gregory throughout multiple league suspensions.

Dallas even had a player who once went through a similar tragedy as Bain. Josh Brent was charged with intoxicated manslaughter when he was the driver during a crash that killed teammate Jerry Brown. Brent was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 10 years of probation.

Jones not only brought Brent back in 2014 after he served his sentence, but hired him as a scout once his playing days were done. This doesn’t mean the Cowboys will take Bain, but it’s a sign that they will have an open mind.

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