Dallas Cowboys three-time Pro Bowl guard Tyler Smith will miss at least the first month of the 2026 NFL season due to a left thumb ligament injury requiring surgery on Tuesday. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer announced the team will place Smith on injured reserve, turning to fourth-year lineman T.J. Bass as the immediate starter at left guard.
The Dallas Cowboys received a significant blow ahead of their regular season opener on Sunday night against the New York Giants. Left guard Tyler Smith will undergo surgery to repair ligament damage in his left thumb. While the team cannot pinpoint the exact moment the injury occurred, the coaching staff opted for early intervention after watching the veteran struggle to maintain necessary grip strength through training camp practices. Smith dealt with ligament damage in his thumb during training camp and continued to practice through last week. He wasn’t on the field for practice to start the week leading into the season opener at the New York Giants on Sunday night. Interior offensive line depth was one of the biggest concerns for the Cowboys all training camp and preseason, and now right off the bat they’ve been dealt the biggest possible blow, losing the experienced Smith at left guard.
Surgery Timetable and Injured Reserve Placement
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer detailed the timeline for the three-time Pro Bowler during a Monday media session at the Ford Center at the Star training facility in Frisco, Texas. Smith is scheduled for a procedure on Tuesday and will be placed on injured reserve, mandating a minimum four-game absence. Smith could be out up to six weeks after surgery that is scheduled for Tuesday, Schottenheimer said.
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“Tyler Smith is going to have surgery on his thumb tomorrow morning,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “It something that he’s just been dealing with and he’ll probably go on IR, four to six weeks. At the end of the day, it just felt like he couldn’t do the things that he had to do at a high level. We know that it’s a long season, so it’s unfortunate.”
Brian Schottenheimer, Head Coach, Dallas Cowboys
We can’t pinpoint when it happened, Schottenheimer said. We made the decision that the best thing is to get in front of this. It’s a long season, so let’s get this fixed.
Cowboys LG Tyler Smith is going to have surgery on his thumb tomorrow and will go on IR for a projected 4-6 weeks, per Brian Schottenheimer, Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News said via X.
T.J. Bass Steps Into the Starting Lineup
With Smith sidelined, T.J. Bass assumes the starting left guard responsibilities. Bass, a fourth-year player with 10 career starts, will fill in for Smith. The Cowboys re-signed Bass as a restricted free agent on a $5.8 million, one-year contract. Dallas placed a second-round tender on during the offseason. Bass started five games for the Cowboys in 2025 and has started 10 for Dallas in the last three years. Schottenheimer has a ton of confidence In Bass’ ability to step in during Smith’s absence.
Tyler Smith’s a great player, but we feel really confident in T.J., and he’s put great film on here,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s played next to Cooper Beebe, he’s played next to [Tyler] Guyton, so that’s nothing new, the communication and all that stuff…
Brian Schottenheimer on PLACING ALL-PRO LG Tyler Smith on IR, Season Opener Against Giants, & More!
“We tendered him the way we tendered him because we trust this guy as a football player. He’s a damn good football player that unfortunately is just playing behind a lot of really, really good players. So we have great confidence in T.J.”
Brian Schottenheimer, Head Coach, Dallas Cowboys
According to NextGenStats, Bass played 198 pass blocking snaps and allowed just eight quarterback pressures and no sacks. That was the lowest number of pressures among Cowboys offensive linemen. Patrik Walker of DallasCowboys.com adds that it’s a ligament issue in Smith’s left thumb.
Smith has made the Pro Bowl in each of his three years at left guard. He played left tackle as a rookie first-round pick in 2022 after longtime starter Tyron Smith was injured in training camp and missed most of the season. In 63 games played, all of them have seen him trot out there with the first-team offense. Plenty of honors have come as a result, most notably a second-team All-Pro in 2023. Three straight Pro Bowls are also on the resume.
Photo: Big Blue View
From a contract perspective, Dallas has Smith locked up long-term. He signed a four-year deal worth $96 million to tack on top of his rookie contract. Smith will remain with the Cowboys through at least the 2030 season, when he will be just 29 years old. Dallas also has Ajani Cornelius as they prepare for week one on Sunday night at the Giants.
Daniel Richardson is the Editor-in-Chief of Archysport, where he leads the editorial team and oversees all published content across nine sport verticals. With over 15 years in sports journalism, Daniel has reported from the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games, NFL Super Bowls, NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tennis tournaments. He previously served as Senior Sports Editor at Reuters and holds a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. Recognized by the Sports Journalists' Association for excellence in reporting, Daniel is a member of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS). His editorial philosophy centers on accuracy, depth, and fair coverage — ensuring every story published on Archysport meets the highest standards of sports journalism.
