The Dallas Cowboys are going full throttle in the coming season. They want to reverse the 3rd decade without a Super Bowl. Dak Prescott also enters his 10th season in the league. It’s preparation to change the course of history. Another day of camp, another curveball for the franchise. But this one hurts. Literally.

This is the kind of training camp news that makes the room go quiet. Rob Jones, Dallas’ projected starting guard, broke a bone in his neck during Sunday’s practice. You read that right, his neck. The same guy who went undrafted in 2022 and quietly clawed his way into a first-team role is now facing 2-3 months off the field, per Adam Schefter and Todd Archer.

Jones wasn’t a household name, but he was the guy Dallas was leaning on to provide some early-season security. An undrafted success story from 2022, he knew the system, handled his matchups, and let the No. 12 overall pick, Tyler Booker, develop at a slower pace. Well, that plan’s out the window now.

“Cowboys guard Rob Jones, who has been working with the starting unit during the early part of training camp, broke a bone in his neck during Sunday’s practice and now is expected to miss 2-3 months,” Schefter reported. It’s the kind of injury that doesn’t just sideline a player, it rattles a locker room. Jones isn’t a star, but he’s the kind of guy coaches trust. Dependable, durable, and until now.

And now? This shifts everything. Let’s get real. Rob Jones wasn’t just a body on the line, he started all 17 games last season while holding up against some top-tier interior pass rushers. He was the plug-in veteran, the buffer between a shaky O-line past and a high-ceiling future. This is what happens when camp plans get punched in the mouth.

Dallas has to rip the wrapper off its shiny new pick and find out immediately if he can handle grown-man pass rush in September.

Dallas fans pour support for Dak Prescott’s protector

The camp development sent shock waves to the fans. One fan wrote, “Isn’t that usually career-ending.” That shows how much they care for their franchise. It’s their 30th season since last winning the trophy in 1995. Another one chimed in, “OUCH. Wow. Hoping he has a full recovery.”

Usually, neck injuries end careers. So, even when the protector of Dak Prescott got a recovery timeline of 2-3 months, some fans felt happy. One such fan mentioned, “2-3 months for a broken neck?? Wow!! He got lucky! 🙏 for a quick recovery!” Even the Cowboys would be hoping for him to return early.

Last year, the rivals sacked Dak Prescott 21 times in 8 games. Last time he got sacked less than that was 2022, when he recorded 20 sacks in 12 games. So, they want Rob Jones to be fit again and protect him. One fan acknowledged this and tweeted, “Tough break for the Cowboys, major set back.”

However, most fans were heartbroken and wished for his early return. They didn’t have much to say as one of them replied to Schefter, “That’s brutal yikes. Hoping for a full recovery.” That’s right. But with the modern therapy options available, it remains to be seen if they will push him to return early or let him heal completely and come back at his own will.

Things are hot this year. Dak Prescott is under a lot of pressure. This injury makes things harder for them.