Cowboys reveal last-minute Joey Porter Jr. update before Thursday night game

Ian Rapoport was one of many insiders to relay the news. His ESPN colleague Jane Slater added more context, revealing Porter was "very sick" when he showed up for the game and was subsequently sent home.

The Cowboys are favored in this game against the 0-4 Buccaneers thanks to Baker Mayfield's absence due to injury. This means Porter's absence may not impact the Cowboys' chances of winning all that much. Yet it's still a surprising update and something to keep an eye on until further updates are provided.

Porter's season began with him saying he had a back injury that prevented him from suiting up for the Steelers. That seemingly went away upon his arrival in Dallas, only for this illness to show up a few days after his debut.

He is still hoping for a lucrative contract extension, so the fact he showed up while sick does show his commitment to the Cowboys. Everyone involved seemingly made the right decision in having him sit this one out against a scuffling Buccaneers team.