The Dallas Cowboys won’t have the NFL’s elite interior offensive lineman against the New York Giants for their primetime season opener on Sunday.
“Cowboys All-Pro LG Tyler Smith is scheduled to undergo thumb surgery Tuesday and is expected to be sidelined 4-6 weeks, per Dallas HC Brian Schottenheimer,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on Monday.
Smith’s surgery is scheduled for Tuesday.
“Tyler Smith is set to have surgery on his left thumb and will be placed on injured reserve, which will cost him the first four games of the season,” ESPN’s Todd Archer wrote on X. “Smith has been bothered by the injury for some time and was trying to avoid surgery. TJ Bass will start at left guard.”
“Cowboys All-Pro LG Tyler Smith is set to have thumb surgery, coach Brian Schottenheimer told reporters,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account on Monday. “He’s out at least four weeks and headed to Injured Reserve. TJ Bass will fill in for Smith.”
Tyler Smith Bona Fide Superstar in Dallas
The Cowboys have a genuine superstar leading their offensive line with Smith, who was voted the NFL’s No. 1 interior offensive lineman by league executives, coaches, and scouts on Sunday, moving up 1 spot from last year’s rankings.
At just 25 years old and with a 4-year, $96 million contract signed in September 2025, that bodes pretty well for the future.
“Rare combination of size, athleticism, strength and finish,” an anonymous AFC executive told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “He’s like prime Jason Peters playing guard.”
Peters was a 9-time Pro Bowl and 6-time NFL All-Pro offensive tackle who helped lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl win following the 2017 season and even spent a season with the Cowboys in 2022.
“Smith is the league’s highest-paid guard, and for good reason,” Fowler wrote. “The 2022 first-round pick has worked his way from offensive tackle prospect to elite guard with three consecutive Pro Bowls. His win rates of 72.1% in the running game and 95.2% in the passing game are quality but not elite numbers. But to watch him is to value him.”
Second Offseason Surgery for Tyler Smith
Smith, 6-foot-5 and 328 pounds, decided to participate in the Pro Bowl Games following the season, and before he underwent knee surgery.
“All-Pro OL Tyler Smith had cleanup surgery on his right knee after the Pro Bowl but will be 100% ready for the offseason program, per sources,” ESPN’s Todd Archer wrote on his X account on February 24. “He dealt with the issue during the season, dressing but not playing against the Jets.”
Smith was a 1st-round pick (No. 24 overall) in the 2022 NFL draft out of Tulsa. In 4 seasons, Smith is a 3-time Pro Bowl selection and earned NFL All-Pro honors in 2023.
Dallas Cowboys Lose $96 Million All-Pro for Season Opener vs. Giants