Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz’s 10-year-old daughter among many to leave Cowboys game early

(USA Today Sports Images)

When the Dallas Cowboys took a six-point lead in the fourth quarter against Detroit with a little over one minute remaining, some fans at Ford Field headed for the exits.

Those “fans” – the ones more concerned about beating traffic than watching a football game – missed a spectacular comeback. Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford engineered an unforeseeable 80-yard scoring drive in 50 seconds, which was capped off by his ingenious 1-yard touchdown run that nobody, including his teammates, knew was coming.

However, Lions coach Jim Schwartz did not express any dissatisfaction with those fans who left too soon during his team's 31-30 victory. That is because his 10-year-old daughter was one of the fans who left early.

“Everybody’s got things to do,” Schwartz told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I had a daughter who was playing soccer yesterday that ended up leaving early. I’m sure she would have liked to have stayed but she has a commitment to her team also.”

In fact, Schwartz said his daughter missed most of the game.

“You know what the funny thing is, and I shouldn’t even say it because I was so selfish in our win that I forgot to even found out if they won,” Schwartz told Birkett. “Sundays, it amazes me that youth stuff is played on Sundays here but we’ve had that issue for five years now.”

Was Schwartz’s daughter curious about the final score of her dad’s game when she saw him on Sunday night?

“I think she’s more concerned about what her Halloween costume is right now and things that are more pressing for 10-year-olds then big wins in the middle of the year or Calvin Johnson breaking records or anything else,” Schwartz told Birkett.

At least Schwartz’s daughter had a good excuse.

Unless those Lions fans who left had to attend youth soccer games, there is no justification for abandoning a close contest to beat traffic.

- - - - - - -

Anwar S Richardson is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at NFLAnwar@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

via Y! Sports Blogs - Yahoo Sports http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/detroit-lions-coach-jim-schwartz-10-old-daughter-130112985--nfl.html