The Dallas Cowboys had more misfortune on the injury front on Tuesday at training camp after tight end Princeton Fant’s season-ending ACL tear and partial MCL tear on Monday.
Cowboys safety Alijah Clark had to be helped off the field to the injury tent with an apparent leg injury. Cowboys website beat writer Tommy Yarrish shared a photo of Clark being helped off during practice on Tuesday.
Clark is a key role player in the defense and special teams, and the Cowboys can ill afford to lose him long term. An undrafted free agent out of Syracuse in 2025, Clark contributed last season with 18 tackles and a forced fumble.
Clark is a hustler, who has excellent run stop ability with great downhill explosion, and he’s a versatile defensive back, who can help the Cowboys in various spots. He played in 11 games and spent a lot of time on special teams amid 174 plays, and he played 40 defensive snaps.
Before the Cowboys, Clark played for Rutgers in 2021, and he transferred to Syracuse in 2022, where he became a reliable defensive back for the Orange. Clark had 189 tackles, two interceptions, nine pass deflections and a forced fumble for his collegiate career.
After he joined the Cowboys, he joined the practice squad and moved up to the active roster in October 2025. He made his debut after an injury to Malik Hooker.
Alijah Clark on His Memorable Hit Against Eagles in 2025
For a defense that struggled mightily in 2025, Clark made one of the more memorable hits last season.
Clark forced a fumble against the Philadelphia Eagles in November 2025 after he got knocked down twice and took a block in the back, though not called, before he made the play, as Cowboys.com reporter Patrik Walker recounted. For Clark, it was a special moment.
“It’s a bigger message than just a football play,” Clark said via Walker. “Just, pretty much, you get knocked down, get back up. Just keep trying. The worst thing you can do is stop trying. You can either get made a clown or you could have a viral moment.”
If Clark’s injury on Tuesday isn’t too serious, it’s the kind of play the Cowboys can look forward to from the second-year defensive back in 2026.
Cowboys Dealt Another Injury After Princeton Fant Loss