Dak Prescott and the Cowboys receive their first bad news of the 2026 season before it even begins

The NFL season starts this week, and one of the first confirmed marquee matchups of the year is the Sunday Night Football opener in Week 1, a classic NFC East clash featuring the Dallas Cowboys visiting the New York Giants .

This showdown marks the eighth time in 15 seasons that these fierce rivals have met in Week 1, showing the league's obsession with putting the Cowboys in primetime isn't accidental.

Over the last 17 seasons , the Cowboys have served as either the Kickoff Game or the SNF opener 12 times . In fact, they have opened the season in the standard 1 p.m. ET window just once in the last 25 years.

According to quarterback Dak Prescott , this year is strictly a Super Bowl-or-bust campaign in Dallas, despite a frustrating stretch that includes missing the playoffs for two consecutive seasons and a staggering 30-year drought since their last NFC Championship appearance.

Tough Medical Blow Shocks Dallas Ahead of Opener

Entering the season finale of preparations, the Cowboys looked to have navigated training camp and the preseason with a clean bill of health, but that reality shifted dramatically when head coach Brian Schottenheimer revealed that standout left guard Tyler Smith required immediate thumb surgery .

Smith attempted to play through the persistent issue, but with zero improvement, an operation became unavoidable. Consequently, the team is placing him on the injured reserve list with the designation to return, putting his recovery timeline at roughly four to six weeks .

Missing a premier lineman of Smith's caliber, who anchors the interior alongside center Cooper Beebe and right guard Tyler Booker , deals a heavy early-season setback to an offensive line that expected to be among the elite units in the league.

Next Man Up: Depth Tested in the NFC East

To absorb the loss of their star blocker, Dallas will pivot to reliable interior reserve T.J. Bass , who is slated to step into the starting lineup at left guard. Schottenheimer expressed confidence in the depth the front office has quietly cultivated, noting that Bass has logged significant snaps and valuable experience for the franchise.

Even with the upfront shuffle, the Cowboys still feature a formidable offensive arsenal; however, franchise leader Dak Prescott may need to release the football quicker while distributing targets to playmakers like CeeDee Lamb , George Pickens , and Javonte Williams .

Navigating this initial 4-to-6-week window without their best lineman will truly test whether Dallas has the roster depth required to conquer a fiercely competitive division from the jump