I was shocked to learn this morning that 45-year-old LeAnne Novacek, wife of ex-Dallas Cowboys tight end Jay Novacek, was found dead early Monday in the family's Fort Worth suburban home.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Novacek's wife died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot, according to a police official.

Novacek was a tight end for the Cowboys from 1990-96 and a member of three Super Bowl championship teams.

I don't know Jay Novacek on a personal level, nor his family. But I was fortunate enough to interview Novacek during his appearance at the Big Boy Toy Show in Dubuque in 2008.

In the interest of self-disclosure, I am a lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan. So when I was asked to cover Novacek's apperance by TH Sports Editor Jim Leitner, I was ecstatic.

The interview lived up to my expectations. Novacek was honest, witty and just an overall good guy. He didn't balk at all about taking 15 minutes with me after a breakfast function with sponsors at the Midway Best Western.

When you meet professional athletes in person, you just hope you aren't let down by their real-life persona. From the moment he walked in the banquet room, Novacek didn't exude any shred of arrogance or "big time" any of the people gathered to listen to him talk.

I wish the Novacek family all the best during this difficult time.