Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson has quickly become a fan favorite for many reasons and while most of them have to do with what he does on the field, there’s a can’t-miss quality that makes him different:

He cares. A lot.

Whether it’s getting fired up in-game or straight up trolling opponents in a child-like excitement for football, Ferguson has that “it” factor of somebody who absolutely loves his team.

That’s why his latest social media activity will make fans smile. Ferguson uploaded an Instagram story of a picture of the Cowboys’ facilities with the phrase “It is a privilege, not a right, to play, coach and work for the Dallas Cowboys.”

The message itself might not sound like anything special but context is key. Although Ferguson doesn’t make any allusions to it directly, it likely is not a coincidence that the story was uploaded days after former Cowboys TE Dalton Schultz took a shot at the way things are done in Dallas.

“The focus is (in Houston) is just on football,” Schultz told The Pat McAfee Show earlier this week. “(In Dallas) there’s literally people going on tours while you’re lifting on the weight room, they’ve got a one-way mirror for people to look in, it’s like a Zoo dude, people tapping on the glass… It’s different, that’s the brand they built, that’s what Jerry Jones likes.”

Jake Ferguson really is special, man. He loves this team just as much as #CowboysNation. pic.twitter.com/bqK0II1YVJ

— Mauricio Rodríguez (@MauNFL) March 8, 2024

Schultz’s comments do reflect the reality of how bright the spotlight shines in Dallas and how there’s always so much going on beyond just football. Nobody is denying that.

But you’ve got to love Ferguson stepping up to the plate with a response such as this. He won’t have former players dunk on his team like that. Not a lot of NFL players think like that these days.

One thing is for certain though: These two will be asked about this sequence when the Houston Texans visit the Cowboys in the 2024 season.