It has been less than a month since Malik Davis earned the backup running back role for the Dallas Cowboys. However, things are not going smoothly for him at the moment. On Friday, September 11, a hip injury threatened to derail his momentum ahead of the team’s season opener against the New York Giants on September 13. The worst part is that Cowboys insiders do not expect him to return immediately.
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“Cowboys are bracing for an extended absence here. “It’s bad,” said one source,” reported ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler on X on September 11.
Before Fowler, another reporter elaborated on the nature of the injury.
“Cowboys RB Malik Davis has been ruled out of Sunday’s game vs. the Giants because of a hip injury suffered in Friday’s practice, per sources,” reported ESPN NFL Nation’s Todd Archer on September 11. “He is undergoing further examination to determine severity of the injury.”
The clock is ticking as the Cowboys prepare to kick off their 2026 NFL season this Sunday. Coming off a 7-9-1 record, they have to bounce back harder, and hence, they were practicing at full intensity. But they lost that momentum as soon as Davis went down. It looked serious, so much so that he could not be treated on the spot and was carted off from the session, according to DLLS Cowboys’ Clarence Hill. Besides Fowler, Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris also hinted at the uncertainty of Davis’ return.
“Cowboys RB Malik Davis left practice today in a vehicle after suffering a hip injury,” Harris reported. “His status is in serious doubt for Sunday night’s opener in New York.”
Davis secured the backup spot behind Javonte Williams and entered the season expected to make an impact on offense. The Cowboys initially kept only the two backs on their 53-man roster, later adding veteran Emari Demercado after claiming him off waivers.
The news of Davis’ injury comes as a shock for the Dallas fans who had already pinned high hopes on the running back. Through the preseason, he was on fire. In Week 2 of the preseason against the Arizona Cardinals, running back Jaydon Blue led the team with 75 rushing yards. But Davis’ contributions were more impactful.
He made the most of his limited opportunities, rushing for 29 yards on five carries at 5.8 yards per attempt and catching an 8-yard touchdown pass. His reliable playmaking was impressive, particularly with concerns surrounding Blue’s consistency. Davis stood out because of his USP: pass protection.
“So, in 15 plays, we’ve seen Cowboys [running back] Malik Davis run for 29 yards on five carries, pick up a blitz in pass protection, and haul in an eight-yard TD reception on a third down in the red zone,” Harris teased how things have been falling in Davis’ favor. “Sounds like an RB2 to me?”
If we trace Davis’ journey so far, it shows how he has come a long way.
After going undrafted as a free agent out of Florida in 2022, Davis earned the Cowboys’ trust with a strong training camp and preseason. It was enough for Dallas to cut 2025 draft picks Blue and Phil Mafah. Davis earned the role after a strong 2025 season in which he rushed for 250 yards and two TDs on 52 carries.
The timing of his injury is more concerning for Dallas, as he is also an important piece on special teams.
Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has not yet commented on Davis’ status or the team’s backup plan. But Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones is already filled with regret that Davis hit a roadblock when he had everything in place to have a blockbuster kickoff.
“Very disappointing. Malik’s done everything the right way,” Jones added. “He’s such a good person off the field, he works his ass off, he’s come from nowhere to be our number two back, and he’s done it the hard way. He’s gone out there, and he shows people he can do it, that he can play in this league. He did it last year, he did it again in training camp, and won the job outright to be the No. 2 back.”
In case Davis does not receive the green light to return, veteran Emari Demercado or Israel Abanikanda could have a good chance of filling the spot.