The Dallas Cowboys have confirmed that cornerback Josh Butler’s season is over following a torn ACL injury sustained during Thursday’s 27-20 victory against the New York Giants. Butler’s injury, which occurred during a non-contact play while defending Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton, was immediately concerning. After going down, Butler was quickly escorted to the locker room for further evaluation.
Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones confirmed the severity of Butler’s injury, telling 105.3 The Fan, “Unfortunately, Butler is going to have to have season-ending ACL surgery.” Butler had been alternating between the Cowboys’ practice squad and active roster throughout the season, but with cornerback Trevon Diggs battling his own injury issues, Butler was thrust into a more prominent role. He had delivered a standout performance earlier in the season with 12 tackles, three pass breakups, and a sack in a game against the Washington Commanders. Butler’s injury ends his season, leaving his future in the NFL uncertain as he is only under contract for this year.
In addition to Butler’s loss, the Cowboys are also dealing with injuries to star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. Lamb exited the second half of the Giants game after reaggravating a shoulder injury that had originally occurred in Week 9 against the Atlanta Falcons. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones addressed the issue, stating, “He’s probably nicked. I don’t know the extent of his injury, but I’m sure he was limited because of what appeared to be a physical limitation.”
Despite the concerns, Jones expressed optimism that Lamb will be ready for the Cowboys’ Week 14 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. “I think that Lamb, by the time we get these extra days here for this time we’ve got between Thanksgiving and the next game, I think Lamb will be ready to go,” Jones said. Lamb had previously mentioned before the Thanksgiving game that he was feeling more banged up than ever in his career, with issues related to his back and foot. However, as the Cowboys’ primary offensive weapon, Lamb has been determined to push through the injuries.
Despite these setbacks, the Cowboys remain in the playoff hunt. With their win over the Giants, Dallas improved to 5-7 and is still clinging to a slim chance of making the postseason, with a 6% probability according to NFL.com. Star pass-rusher Micah Parsons made it clear that the Cowboys have not lost hope. “There’s been a lot of trash talk out there, talking about what difference can we make. We still got some guys coming back from the chamber,” Parsons said in his postgame interview. “I’m telling you all right now, we’re coming.”
The Cowboys’ next three games are against teams currently with losing records—the Bengals, Panthers, and Buccaneers. To close the season, they will face crucial divisional matchups against the Eagles and Commanders. With quarterback Dak Prescott out for the year after undergoing hamstring surgery, the Cowboys will need to keep their playoff hopes alive without their star signal-caller. Despite the challenges, the team is determined to make a push in the final stretch of the season.