On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
The Dallas Cowboys entered their Thanksgiving Day contest with the New York Giants thin in the secondary. Markquese Bell was lost for the season in Week 12 and they're still waiting for Trevon Diggs to return to health.
Now, another player is going to be out — presimably for the season — as Juanyeh Thomas suffered a heartbreaking knee injury against the Giants.
Thomas was tangled up while going after New York return man Eric Gray. As he attempted to stand up, he was in clear pain and showed visible frustration with the injury.
Unable to get off the field on his own power, Thomas had to be carted off.
Bones Fassel leaning in with a word for Juanyeh Thomas as he's carted off the field. pic.twitter.com/jZYtcPfdPB
— Bobby Belt (@BobbyBeltTX) November 28, 2024
Am undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech in 2022, Thomas has developed into a key figure on special teams for Dallas. Against Washington, he returned an onside kick for a touchdown, the first of his career.
With him out, the Cowboys are down to Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson, and Israel Mukuamu at safety.
5 winners & 2 losers in Cowboys' Week 12 shocker against Commanders
4 takeaways from Cowboys' heart-stopping win vs. Commanders
Cowboys' top plays & highlights vs. Commanders Week 12
CBS Sports pitches one hilarious idea involving Cowboys and Daniel Jones
Meet Abby Summers: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Rookie
More must-reads:
- Falcons HC speaks out after offensive starter gets carted off practice field with concerning injury
- Another Cowboys star defender unsure of Week 1 status
- The '2024-25 NFL rushing touchdown leaders' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
Commanders flaw exposed in blowout preseason loss to Ravens
The Washington Commanders have a potentially significant problem on special teams. During Saturday's 30-3 preseason Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, kicker Matt Gay missed a 53-yard field goal wide left at the end of Washington's first offensive possession. Gay finished the preseason 3-of-5 on field goal attempts. He also missed a 49-yarder wide left in preseason Week 1 against the New England Patriots. Gay's struggles continue the chaotic journey for the Commanders at kicker. Last season's Week 1 starter, Cade York, went 0-of-2 in the opener and was promptly released. His replacement, Austin Seibert, was in the midst of a fantastic season through Week 9, going 25-of-27 on field goals and 22-of-22 on extra points before missing two weeks with a hip injury. He was later placed on injured reserve after missing three kicks in a loss to the Dallas Cowboys, including a would-be tying extra point following a wild 86-yard touchdown with under a minute remaining. Zane Gonzalez and Greg Joseph combined to go 7-of-10 on field goals the rest of the season, including each missing a 50-yard attempt. Overall, Commanders kickers struggled from long distance, with the four combining to go 2-of-8 on attempts of 50 yards or more. Only the Philadelphia Eagles had a worse percentage (14.3%) on attempts of at least 50 yards, per Pro Football Reference data. Washington signed Gay to a one-year, $4.25M fully guaranteed contract in late April following the 2025 NFL Draft. Per CBS Sports, it's the largest guaranteed contract for a kicker on a one-year deal in NFL history. Last season while with the Indianapolis Colts, Gay was 3-of-9 on 50-yard field goals. The Commanders have the talent on offense to be one of the league's top scoring units, so they might not need to convert many tries from over 50 yards. Still, having a kicker who can reliably hit from that distance is an undeniable asset, particularly late in close games or on possessions that stall after crossing midfield. Washington largely has a roster capable of contending for a Super Bowl. But following its final tune-up before the regular season, kicking is a notable flaw.
Yankees' Aaron Boone Sends Message on Potential Anthony Volpe Benching
Following a stretch of five consecutive wins, the New York Yankees have endured a frustrating stretch against their archrivals, the Boston Red Sox, suffering back to back defeats. The losses, which continue to highlight the team's struggles against top teams, have slipped the Yankees to 69-59 on the season, dropping them to third in the American League East. During this slump, shortstop Anthony Volpe has struggled—plagued by a drastic offensive woes, a spate of mental and defensive miscues, and growing displeasure from fans. Volpe's production has dipped this year: so far, he has put up a .209 batting average with 18 home runs, 65 RBIs and 56 runs scored in 127 games. Aaron Boone Signals Possible Anthony Volpe Benching Amid Slump Amid Volpe's inconsistencies, manager Aaron Boone made interesting remarks, alluding to what could be his fate on the team in the coming weeks. Ahead of Saturday's home game against the Red Sox, Boone acknowledged in a team update that giving Volpe a day off could be in play soon. That’s a significant development, especially considering Volpe has been an every day player. His offensive slide has been alarming: since August 2, he’s slumping to a .127 batting average, .179 on-base percentage, and .254 slugging percentage. Fans have even booed him following errors and strikeouts in recent games. Boone’s remarks come amid increasing scrutiny. Despite ongoing struggles in the field—Volpe leads all American League shortstops in errors and ranks near the bottom in advanced metrics like Defensive Runs Saved—Boone has been consistent in his support. Back in July, he called Volpe a “top shortstop” and has continued to express belief in his potential. Providing him a mental and physical reset with a day off may be both a strategic move and a show of confidence in his ability to rebound. Yankees Continue to Seek Stability in the AL East The Yankees continue their showdown with Boston on Saturday, a game with increasing postseason ramifications. With just weeks left in the regular season, New York is fighting to tighten its grip on the AL Wild Card picture, standing just ahead of the Red Sox despite recent stumbles A bench day for Volpe could shift the dynamic in the lineup and defense, hopefully bringing sharper focus to a team that has leaned too heavily on home runs. The Yankees remain a playoff-caliber roster, but smoothing out lapses—especially at shortstop—will be vital if they intend to turn their best promise into playoff success.
Kevin O'Connell bids farewell to Harrison Phillips, gives injury updates
Kevin O'Connell opened his press conference after Friday night's preseason finale in Tennessee by discussing the difficulty of trading away Harrison Phillips, a team captain who had started every single game for Minnesota over the past three seasons. "Did want to start out just talking about Harrison Phillips for a quick second," he said. "Obviously, a tough move to make considering just how impactful he's been to the Minnesota Vikings and our organization, on and off the field. First free agent we signed when Kwesi and I got here, and he was the first one we signed for a reason. The type of man he is, the type of teammate, the type of leader. "Moves like that are not made without a lot of thought. I got a chance to spend a lot of good time with Harrison, and I also had a chance to talk to (Aaron Glenn) and (Darren Mougey) in New York about the type of player they were getting. I know he'll have the same impact there, in a new regime there. As they build their culture up, Harrison Phillips will be great for it." The Vikings clearly felt Phillips was expendable due to the additions of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, as well as the progress shown by a wave of young defensive tackles on their roster. But to deal away an impact starter so close to the start of the season comes with some risk. Phillips' departure also creates a void of leadership, although O'Connell doesn't sound too concerned on that front. "The thing that you have to understand, in the (DT) room, acquiring veteran presences like JA and Grave, they've really been immediate impact players on and off the field," he said. "Guys that have sustained it and done it at a high level for a really long time. That doesn't go into the hard decision like that, as far as the leadership goes, but you do know that we've got some ascending players on our roster, offensively and defensively, that are ready to assume that void. We've gotta make sure we're on top of that because of his impact." Injury updates O'Connell also gave some updates on a few young players who got banged up in Friday's game. OLB Tyler Batty (right knee) will be evaluated via MRI. RB Zavier Scott (right ankle) had an early 23-yard run but then left the field limping on one of his next carries. DT Elijah Williams (right hamstring) is a candidate to make the roster in the wake of the Phillips trade, but he could also potentially begin the year on IR (designated to return) if he has a hamstring strain. All three of those players have impressed over the course of training camp. Roster cutdown day is Tuesday, which will mean lots of difficult choices for the Vikings as they go from 90 players down to 53. More Vikings coverage
Milwaukee Brewers: Pat Murphy Had Touching Yet Hilarious Remark about Willy Adames after 5-4 Win Over Giants
Panthers will be without Matthew Tkachuk for a while
Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk’s health entering the season has been a topic of conversation after he returned early from an adductor injury sustained at the 4 Nations Face-Off to suit up in Florida’s run to a second straight Stanley Cup. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period now relays that Tkachuk indeed opted for surgery to repair it, undergoing the procedure “a few weeks ago,” and could miss as much as the first four months of the campaign. It’s still not clear what caused the right-winger’s injury during the 4 Nations tournament, but he missed the balance of the regular season and wasn’t cleared to return until Game 2 of the Cats’ first-round win over the Lightning. Opting for non-surgical rehab initially to accelerate his return timeline, he still managed to rattle off a point per game as he marched to his third straight Stanley Cup Final and second straight win, although his 17:24 average time on ice was a noticeable drop from his previous usage. His projected return timeline makes him LTIR-eligible and offers the Panthers a pathway to cap compliance to begin the season, but it’s not that simple. They’re now $4.5M over the cap and, on top of shuffling their roster to optimize his LTIR relief, they have to figure out a way to reinstate him on the active roster when he’s ready to return while staying below the $95.5M upper limit. They likely won’t concern themselves with the first bit too much, as he’s not a season-long absence and their roster is full, but their roadmap to a compliant roster and a healthy Tkachuk is still murky. Tkachuk, 27, has averaged 99 points per 82 games since arriving in Florida in 2022 via the blockbuster trade with the Flames that sent Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar the other way. He also has 25 goals and 69 points in 67 playoff games for the Panthers over the last three years, ranking fourth and third in franchise history, respectively. In the interim, the Panthers can expect 2021 first-rounder Mackie Samoskevich to play a pivotal role in their early-season success. The 22-year-old winger filled in for Tkachuk down the stretch last year and finished his rookie campaign with a 15-16–31 scoring line in 72 games. He’ll now get more opportunity out of the gate after essentially being forced to sign a league-minimum contract this summer thanks to Florida’s cap crunch and his 10.2(c) status prohibiting him from signing an offer sheet.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
