Cowboys Lose Starting DB 3 Weeks After Toe Injury Suffered
Dallas, TX – September 30, 2025
The Dallas Cowboys have been dealt a significant setback on defense just as they prepare to enter October. Starting safety Malik Hooker will miss the next three weeks after suffering a toe injury in Week 4.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer confirmed the update on Tuesday, noting that further tests revealed enough damage to sideline Hooker through at least Week 7. The injury occurred late in Sunday night’s 40-40 tie with the Green Bay Packers.
Hooker has been one of the most dependable pieces of the Cowboys’ secondary, starting all four games this season while recording 19 total tackles and two pass breakups. His absence leaves a major hole in Dallas’s back end.
In the meantime, the Cowboys are expected to lean on veteran Donovan Wilson and second-year safety Juanyeh Thomas to help stabilize the unit. Schottenheimer also hinted that practice squad call-ups could play a role in the short term.
The injury comes at a difficult time for Dallas, who face a critical three-week stretch that includes matchups with the Jets, Giants, and Bengals. Hooker’s leadership and range will be sorely missed as the Cowboys look to rebound from a rocky 1-2-1 start.
For now, the team is hoping Hooker can return to action by late October, though much will depend on his recovery progress. Until then, the Cowboys must adapt quickly if they want to keep pace in a competitive NFC East.
Former Steelers Receiver Melts Down With 14 Drops and Sideline Outburst for Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys’ 31-14 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 3 will be remembered for all the wrong reasons — especially for wide receiver George Pickens, who made history in the worst possible way.
With CeeDee Lamb sidelined by injury, Pickens was expected to step into the No. 1 receiver role and provide Dak Prescott with a reliable target. Instead, the third-year wideout struggled mightily, dropping a staggering 14 passes — the most ever recorded in a single NFL game.
Pickens finished the contest with just three receptions, one touchdown, and the ignominious record that left Cowboys fans groaning. Despite being Prescott’s primary target all afternoon, he repeatedly let catchable balls slip through his hands, stalling drives and killing momentum for the Dallas offense.
George Pickens is CRASHING OUT on the bench. pic.twitter.com/YDolklJVDX
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 21, 2025
Adding to the frustration, cameras caught Pickens slamming his helmet to the ground on the sideline and shouting angrily at teammates after yet another failed connection. The image quickly spread on social media, symbolizing the Cowboys’ disastrous afternoon in Chicago.
While Pickens did manage to score a short touchdown in the first half, his string of miscues overshadowed any positives. Each drop fueled louder criticism from fans who expected him to rise to the occasion with Lamb unavailable.
For a Cowboys team already facing questions about its defense, Pickens’ struggles only magnified the issues. What should have been his breakout opportunity turned into one of the most forgettable performances by a receiver in recent memory.
As Dallas prepares for a must-win matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football, all eyes will be on whether Pickens can rebound — or if this nightmare outing will linger as a defining moment in his season.
