When Wigan coach Matty Peet brings Tyler Dupree on to the field during their Super League clash with Warrington in Las Vegas on Saturday night, Dupree’s mother Jackie will greet his arrival with whoops. But his uncle Billy Joe Dupree – who played in three Super Bowls – will not even know his nephew is playing.
Billy Joe Dupree joined Dallas in 1973 and immediately established himself in Tom Landry’s fabled team, taking Mike Ditka’s No89 jersey. A Super Bowl win against Denver Broncos in 1978 was sandwiched between two defeats to Pittsburgh Steelers. Dupree smashed records galore in Dallas, going 11 seasons without missing a game. His nephew Tyler has won two Super League titles, a World Club Challenge and a Challenge Cup in less than two seasons with Wigan. Yet Billy Joe is oblivious to his success.
“My mum is coming over with her friends and my cousin, which will be good,” explains Tyler. “It would be nice to have my uncle in the stadium but we’re not really in touch with our American side. We did reach out to him but it’s hard to get in touch as he’s not big on social media. It would be nice to have a connection.
“He doesn’t know about us really but I’ve done a lot of research about him. It’s only as I’ve delved into the family history that I’ve realised that I’m not the only Dupree to have something to do with sport. It’s nice to know I come from a decent bloodline. My mum and aunties are not very sporty people any more, so it had to come from somewhere.”
Tyler’s grandfather William – Jackie and Billy Joe’s father – lived a life so rich a play was written about it last year and an exhibition was held in Halifax last month. A New Orleans native, William Dupree had two identities. Encouraged to box by Joe Louis, he became known as Champion Jack and fought over 100 times.
Meanwhile he continued to play piano, roaming the country as Lips Dupree, becoming a face on the boogie-woogie scene and working with blues superstars such as John Lee Hooker, Eric Clapton and BB King. He moved to Switzerland in 1960, lived in Halifax in the 1970s where he married Tyler’s grandma, before spending his final years in Denmark.
“When my grandpa came over here he had my mum and my aunties but he was in his sixties by then,” explains Tyler. “Because of my grandpa’s profession I wouldn’t say he was a player, but he put it about a bit and he’s got loads of children.”
At a glance Tyler seems typical rugby league stock: he was born in Halifax, honed by amateur club Siddal and then Leeds Rhinos, and is now playing for Wigan and England. Look closer and he’s anything but. Leeds let him go without making a first-team appearance and he worked as a labourer and in a children’s care home while seeking a second chance.
Knowing his grandfather spent two years in a Japanese prison of war camp may have influenced Tyler to seek a place in the British Army. He was on his way to the interview when Oldham RLFC called offering him a chance. He signed up for the Roughyeds instead. It was a sliding doors moment. Within two years he was making his Super League debut for Salford.
Having been in academies at Halifax, Salford and Leeds, played on loan at Featherstone, York and Batley, then had short spells at Oldham and Widnes and back to Salford, Wigan was the 10th stop on Dupree’s career journey. Now approaching two years at Robin Park, Dupree refutes the suggestion he has finally settled down.
“I wouldn’t say it’s settled as I don’t think you can say you’re ever fully settled at a club,” says the 23-year-old. “That’s where complacency starts. I’m always striving to be the best version of myself and I definitely feel that I’m at the place where they’re going to help me do that. I feel like I’m getting towards that goal.”
With a clean sweep of all four titles, 2024 was extraordinary for Wigan and Dupree. “Last year was big obviously, but I missed out on internationals [Dupree was dropped by England coach Shaun Wane for the Samoa series] so that’s what I’m striving for this year. This is the place to do that and I can’t imagine many other clubs could help me in that way.”
Dupree also managed to graduate last year, completing his degree in sports science while starring for the Warriors. He’d been attending college two evenings a week and cramming his work in after training. “It was a bit surreal, but a massive weight lifted off my shoulders,” he admits. “Meeting deadlines as well as performing on the pitch was quite stressful. It was hard, but I’m glad I did it and I know I made my mum proud as well.”
Dupree sees himself following his mum into the primary teaching profession. “Mum always told me that rugby is a second option so my education always came first,” he says. “At primary school I only had a handful of teachers who believed in me, so I’ve always wanted to repay that. I think I’d be a good advocate as a teacher.
“I’ve always been pretty grounded but what helped most was when I was let go by Leeds. I didn’t think I’d made it but having that taken away was a massive reality check. Then being in the children’s home and seeing people who were in a much worse position made me wake up and smell the coffee. I appreciate things a lot more, take my time with a lot more people and have more patience. It’s definitely helped me understand other people in the team more.”
Peet’s management has also helped. “We dedicate an hour each week to getting to know each other more, having an open floor and letting each other share our issues, whether it’s good or bad,” says Dupree. “We all get together and Matty just opens the floor. He’s great at getting people to open up. Everyone knows it’s a safe space. That’s been part of why we had a championship year.”
That team spirit was epitomised in the dying seconds of their comfortable win at Hull on Friday when, with the game won an hour earlier, four Wigan players still raced to the touchline to ambush Liam Martin into touch. “The scoreboard is one thing but if we consistently see that togetherness, camaraderie and connection, that’s the main thing,” said Peet. “They’re the sort of clips we will be showing at our review before we look at the fancy stuff.”
The coach is looking forward to the adventure in Nevada. “It’s going to be so different,” he says. “I’ve been to Las Vegas before and I’ve coached Wigan, but I can’t get my head around how I’m going to do them both together. It’s a challenge but what a privilege.”
Forty players and staff flew out on Monday, with around 5,000 fans expected to follow. Dupree is ready. “Las Vegas had never really interested me, but the more I’ve delved into it and seen the adverts, it’s quite exciting. It will be a good experience for the club and fun. I’m looking at it from a different perspective: we’re going there to do a job. There’s a lot going on but we’ll deal with it. We are treating it as just another game but it’s been amplified by 10 because of the occasion.”
A seemingly introverted personality, Dupree is wary of the hype. “It will be the most exposure we’ve had, to different kinds of people, celebrities and sports people. It’ll be good for us. Everyone around Wigan asks you for a photo or talks about the game, but back home I’m just another person, no one is bothered who I am. I enjoy both. If I didn’t like it I wouldn’t be a rugby player. That’s what the job is. We love a big deal being made of us.”
In many ways, Dupree seems to meet the criteria required for the NFL’s International Player Pathway; young, fearless, hungry, fit, aggressive, ambitious and adventurous. Would he be tempted? “I’d give it a go if someone came along and gave me the chance. I think it shows that rugby league is a sport that can be applied to a lot of other sports. If it came along I probably would take it but I wouldn’t be in that position if it wasn’t for rugby.”
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