The former first-round NFL pick, Malik Hooker, has been with the Dallas Cowboys since 2021. This season, Hooker fought to keep his roster spot after Dallas drafted Caleb Downs. So, he had a lot to prove. Similarly, DeMarvion Overshown had proved himself enough this offseason, coming off an injury to be named the Green Dot leader on defense. After their 2026 season kickoff, both players are now tied by the same misfortune.
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Dallas Cowboys walked into the 2026 season with high hopes to finally break the Super Bowl drought but got humbled in the first test. The Cowboys lost 28-20 to the Giants and suffered two defensive injuries in the process.
“Brian Schottenheimer said Malik Hooker may have had a fractured forearm. ‘More testing tomorrow,’ he said,” reported Dallas News’ Calvin Watkins. “DeMarvion Overshown has a hamstring injury and he wasn’t ‘sure the severity.’”
As reported by Dallas News staff writer, the safety was injured late in the third quarter. He suffered a forearm injury after becoming tangled with Giants tight end Chris Manhertz. Hooker initially walked off the field under his own power but was taken to the locker room in the fourth quarter and subsequently ruled out.
The injury threatens to derail Hooker’s comeback bid this season. As the 30-year-old veteran of the Cowboys’ defensive backs group, Hooker has been counted on to handle pressure while helping guide the team’s younger players. The former Unanimous All-American brings plenty of experience to the group.
In 2024, Hooker put together his best season with the Cowboys, setting career highs in tackles with 81 while adding five pass deflections and two interceptions. Next year, a Week 4 toe injury sidelined him until Week 11, but he remained productive upon return. He remained productive after returning. Even though durability issues persisted, Hooker made it to the 53-man roster. This is supposed to be the season for Hooker to rebound, but bad luck.
When Hooker was ruled out, the Cowboys were down 28-14, and the Giants had already totaled 357 offensive yards early in the fourth quarter. Dallas fought back, but New York eventually secured a 28-20 win.
It was not the only mishap that happened to Dallas. On Sunday, September 13, Overshown exited the game with a hamstring injury and was questionable to return. Before the injury, the Green Dot leader had already racked up seven tackles. This is a big blow indeed for the Cowboys defense.
After allowing 511 points last season (last in scoring defense), Dallas’ defense is already under pressure. It ranked last in scoring defense (30.1 PPG), passing defense (251.5 YPG), and third-down defense (47.3%).
“For us to be the great defense that we need to be, I am going to have to be the great leader that I need to be,” Overshown opened up about his promise in an interview with DLLS Sports in June after taking up the middle linebacker role. “So, him giving me that role, and giving me that badge, I take that with heart. Because I want to be that, I want people to look at me in the fourth quarter and say, ‘This guy is still going hard, let me give what I got left, let me give what I got left.’”
Overshown’s injury history is a concern for Cowboys fans. The injury creates a significant problem for Dallas, with linebacker depth already one of the defense’s biggest concerns. Overshown and Dee Winters were the projected starters, while Overshown’s absence has forced third-round rookie Jaishawn Barham into a larger role.
Dallas failed to stop the Giants’ offense even with both defensive starters on the field for most of Sunday night. New York gained 394 total yards, including 165 rushing yards, while averaging 4.5 yards per carry. That production helped the Giants dominate time of possession for more than 36 minutes. Meanwhile, besides the injury bug, Overshown carries another baggage.
NFL Review Could Lead to Fine for DeMarvion Overshown
Being named as the Green Dot leader comes with a lot of responsibility and accountability. However, Overshown got into a scuffle with Jaxson Dart when he hit the Giants quarterback out of bounds. Overshown was flagged on the play, resulting in a 15-yard penalty, and he could now be facing potential discipline from the league.
New York had the ball at its own 41-yard line with 9:38 remaining in the first quarter when Dart faced second-and-10 after an incompletion. With no receiver open following the snap, he scrambled to his left for 22 yards, easily moving the chains.
The play ended with Dart going out of bounds, but Overshown then delivered a hard hit that sent the quarterback toward the bench. The Cowboys linebacker was penalized for unnecessary roughness, giving the Giants 15 more yards.
Now that the game is over, it’s time for the league to evaluate the tapes as part of the post-game process. And if they find Overshown guilty of an outrageous act, they will hold him accountable. Given the fine structure, he can very well be fined as high as $11,941 for a first offense.
Not a good day for Dallas.