Cowboys TE Luke Schoonmaker feeling emotional following recent breakthrough

Luke Schoonmaker put a rough start to his career behind him and stepped up for the Dallas Cowboys over the past two weeks.

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Dallas Cowboys tight end Luke Schoonmaker / Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

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When Jake Ferguson went down with a concussion in Week 11, the Dallas Cowboys had to turn to Luke Schoonmaker. After a frustrating rookie campaign, there wasn't a lot of confidence that he could rise to the challenge.

Schoonmaker, a second-round pick from Michigan, had just eight receptions for 65 yards as a rookie. He had a decent outing in Week 2, going for 43 yards on six receptions, but since then, he had two receptions for 13 yards before Dallas had to ask him to take over as TE1.

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His response has been impressive, with Schoonmaker recording 14 receptions for 144 yards with one touchdown over the past three games. He recently discussed his performance, saying that he felt "emotionaly" after being able to make the most of this opportunity.

Cowboys TE Luke Schoonmaker said he was emotional after being able to break through the last two weeks:

“Certainly sticking to the process. Just having the fun that I am is the emotional side. Being able to make the most out of my opportunities and have fun with it.”
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) November 29, 2024

On the season, he now has 22 receptions on 31 targets for 200 yards with one touchdown. He's seen an increase in his catch percentage, yards per game, and yards per reception.

All of this is promising to see from a player who was once dubbed a bust.