Cowboys three-time Pro Bowl guard Tyler Smith will be sidelined to start the season with a thumb injury. Eric Hartline / Imagn ImagesSept. 7, 2026 Updated Sept. 8, 2026 4:42 pm EDTFRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys entered this week appearing to have gotten through training camp in exceptional health.That changed Monday when Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer revealed that Pro Bowl left guard Tyler Smith is going to have thumb surgery Tuesday. He will be placed on injured reserve designated to return list with the hope that he can return in four to six weeks. Top reserve offensive lineman T.J. Bass will now start at left guard.The left thumb injury is from ligament damage. Smith was attempting to play through it, but it wasn’t improving, meaning surgery was going to be inevitable.
“At the end of the day, he felt like he couldn’t do things he to do at a high level,” Schottenheimer said. “This is a long season, so let’s go get it fixed. It’s unfortunate, but that’s why we coveted T.J. Bass. He’s played a lot of really good football for us and we expect he will continue to do so.“You always think you can kind of play through these things. He’s done things like that, a lot of guys have. Unfortunately when you’re an offensive lineman, grip strength and things like that are really important.”Which NFL team that missed the playoffs last year can make it this year?Jeff Howe and Rachael TindeSmith is Dallas’ best offensive lineman, so this is a significant loss. The Cowboys were expecting to enter the season with one of the NFL’s best offensive line interiors with Smith, center Cooper Beebe and right guard Tyler Booker.The Cowboys should still have one of the league’s top offenses without Smith, but franchise quarterback Dak Prescott might have to get the ball out quicker in the passing game, and the running game will probably take a small step back.Dallas opens its season on “Sunday Night Football” at the New York Giants.
