Cowboys Guard Tyler Smith Sidelined for at least Four Games Following Thumb Surgery

Dallas Cowboys left guard Tyler Smith will undergo surgery Tuesday to repair a ligament tear in his left thumb and will be placed on injured reserve.

Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer announced Monday that Pro Bowl left guard Tyler Smith will undergo surgery Tuesday to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb. The 25-year-old lineman is headed to injured reserve, a move that mandates he miss at least the first four games of the regular season. While Smith attempted to play through the injury, the club determined surgery was necessary after various methods to protect the joint failed to restore sufficient grip strength.

Smith, who has earned Pro Bowl honors in each of his first three seasons, is eligible to return as early as the October 8 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, that game falls on a short week with a Thursday kickoff; the following contest is scheduled for October 18 against the Green Bay Packers. This procedure follows a clean-up surgery on Smith's right knee performed in February. His injury history also includes three missed games in 2023 due to hamstring and foot issues, as well as single-game absences in 2024 and 2025 for ankle and knee injuries, respectively.

T.J. Bass will replace Smith in the starting lineup at left guard. Bass, who has 10 career starts over three seasons, recently received a $5.7 million second-round restricted free agent tender from Dallas. He will slot in between left tackle Tyler Guyton and center Cooper Beebe. Schottenheimer noted that Bass has already taken significant practice repetitions with the first-unit players during periods when the team managed Smith's workload.