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From Dak Prescott, DeMarvion Overshown, and Micah Parsons to DaRon Bland, the 2024 Dallas Cowboys have been decimated by injuries. John dives into the worst of the team's health issues.
Dallas is currently rivaling the famed San Francisco 49IRs in terms of nasty ailments to some of its most important players. While it didn't look like a great team at the beginning of the year anyway, whatever chance it had of a postseason run has been completely derailed.
Let's look at some of America's Team's ugliest injuries this season, and how it has been affected. Buckle in. This one's long.
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Sam Williams, Defensive End, Torn ACL/MCL
To kick things off, before the season even started, Williams (knee) tore his ACL and MCL during a simple practice rep. As he was engaged in some sort of drill and being blocked by another player during training camp, he took a bad step, and just like that, suffered a devastating injury that ended his season.
You gotta feel for Sam Williams.
Tearing the ACL in his left knee on this rep during practice.
His 2024 season is over before it even got started. #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/TYG05fGOCA— Zack Hedrick (@zhedrickTV) July 29, 2024
Williams was set to enter his third year with the team and would have provided a solid second presence as a pass-rusher on the opposite side of All-Pro defensive end Micah Parsons. The duo was set to terrorize opposing quarterbacks all year.
DaRon Bland, Cornerback, Foot Stress Fracture
In another key blow before the season started, cornerback DaRon Bland, who broke the NFL record for pick-sixes in 2023 with five, suffered a stress fracture in his foot that required surgery. The defense was down two key starters and difference-makers before they had even played their first game.
Cowboys CB Daron Bland to undergo surgery to repair stress fracture in foot, will miss 6-8 weeks. pic.twitter.com/LUnkUMO4yy
— NFL (@NFL) August 24, 2024
He was reportedly set to miss six to eight weeks of play as you can see above. He didn't take a snap until Week 12.
Micah Parsons, Defensive End, High Ankle Sprain
The best player on the team and one of the best pass-rush specialists in the NFL, Parsons suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 4 and ended up missing four games. His impact on the game cannot be overstated, and without him, the team looked completely lost.
#Cowboys EDGE Micah Parsons in his four games since returning from his injury via @PFF
23 pressures
11 hurries
8 sacks
7 stops
4 QB hits— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) November 29, 2024
Though the Cowboys notched a surprise win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5, they were then promptly decimated by the Detroit Lions, 47-9. They proceeded to drop games to the San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons. They would have lost many more in a row without Parsons, surely.
Brandin Cooks, Wide Receiver, Knee Infection
Cooks suffered a knee infection after a medical procedure and was placed on injured reserve after the game against the New York Giants in Week 4. He ended up missing seven games with this issue and didn't return until Week 13 against the Giants again.
INJURY REPORT: @dallascowboys place Brandin Cooks (knee) on IR pic.twitter.com/J3EkpHm8zD
— The Fantasy Source (@FantasySource_) October 5, 2024
The Cowboys spent quite some time without their clear WR2, which certainly hampered the offensive attack.
DeMarcus Lawrence, Defensive End, Foot Injury
As if it couldn't get any worse on defense, Lawrence, another key pass-rusher and cog in the defensive line, suffered a foot injury during Week 4 and hasn't played a down since. The litany of injuries is probably a big reason why Dallas has one of the worst run defenses in the league -- it allows nearly five yards per carry to opposing teams.
DeMarcus Lawrence is set to miss multiple weeks with a foot injury.
Micah Parsons has a high ankle sprain. Sam Williams has a torn ACL. DaRon Bland is also still out.
someone, literally anyone, help the Dallas Cowboys https://t.co/7gaNdZhLa6
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) September 27, 2024
Dak Prescott, Quarterback, Hamstring Avulsion
As we're sure you know, in Week 9, Prescott partially tore his hamstring off the bone against the Atlanta Falcons. It was over from that point -- his season was done, and the Cowboys have rolled out backup QB Cooper Rush since then to predictable results.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is planning to undergo season-ending surgery on his partially torn hamstring, pending the opinion of one final specialist, sources told ESPN.
Prescott is flying to New York to meet with the specialist, but Cowboys doctors already believe he needs the… pic.twitter.com/r5Qy9gnYid
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 9, 2024
He won't play again until next year. Though the Cowboys have won two games in his absence, a miracle over the Washington Commanders and a snooze-fest against the New York Giants, they have almost no chance of making the playoffs now.
Zack Martin, Offensive Guard, Shoulder/Ankle
The nine-time AP All-Pro (seven first-team, two second-team) offensive guard Martin battled through a shoulder injury all season before picking up an ankle issue that will now require surgery. He's now on injured reserve, and won't play for the rest of the season. He's reportedly even mulling retirement.
Zack Martin worked out Wednesday at The Star.
He underwent surgery on his right ankle Thursday.
The surgery went well, a person who was updated on the procedure said. pic.twitter.com/lR2xHlSKel
— David Moore (@DavidMooreDMN) December 12, 2024
The steadiest presence on the OL, a future Hall of Famer, and one of the best to ever play his position simply can't be replaced. But the Cowboys will have to try, and probably soon.
DeMarvion Overshown, Linebacker, Torn ACL, MCL, PCL
And not too long ago, in Week 14, Overshown, a standout do-it-all star LB, shredded his knee against the Cincinnati Bengals when an opposing offensive lineman fell on his leg and bent it the wrong way. Not only is his season over, but he's likely to miss the entirety of 2025 due to the issue.
The hit that Demarvion Overshown took to his right leg. He was ruled out right after.
— Serenity Douglas (@_serenityd) December 10, 2024
He's suffered two season-ending knee injuries in the same number of seasons of his career. It's brutal stuff. It's hard to say if he'll ever return to 100%, as multi-ligament compound tears sometimes ruin players' careers.
There have been plenty of other injuries that have caused game absences to players like linebacker Eric Kendricks and cornerback Trevon Diggs, but we simply don't have time to go into them all. Hopefully, things go better for Big D in 2025. Surely they can't get any worse, right?
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