Dez Bryant playing one day after the death of his father

The Cowboys wideout took the field against the Steelers with a heavy heart.

Cowboys wide receiver is playing Sunday’s game against the Steelers just a day after the passing of his father MacArthur Hatton, team owner Jerry Jones confirmed on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Sunday.

Sideline reporter Kristi Scales first reported of Hatton’s passing.

“He’s very sad,” Jones said. “And you only have one of those. But he was getting the kind of support you would think. He’s loved in that locker room and by the coaches as well. And, so, there was a lot of sensitivity and love being expressed to him. I would say this. I’ll say this. If he wanted to be at some place in his life, I bet it would be right in the middle of that licker room to be dealing with that.”

The Dallas Morning Newsprofiled Bryant six years ago, writing that Hatton and Bryant had “virtually no relationship,” though it’s unclear if the two are closer today. The News wrote that Hatton and Bryant’s mother, Angela, had three children.

The Cowboys and Steelers kicked off shortly after 4 p.m. ET in Pittsburgh.