Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images The latest Cowboys headlines as the team prepares for the season opener this weekend. Dak wants to be the QB ‘who wins it’ in Dallas – Nick Harris, DallasCowboys.com Dak Prescott spoke to the media again today about his contract negotiations and his motivation for wanting to stay in Dallas. It’s no breaking news or secret that the two sides are working, but is there a sense of urgency behind that work to get it done before the season kicks off? “I’d say they’re working,” he said. “I don’t know if that’s necessarily the timeline. I can’t say I’ll put a timeline to Todd and Stephen if we don’t get this done, this or that, but I know they’re working.” Speaking of work, Prescott said he will “still be working” if the Cowboys and his representation can’t come to an agreement before the start of the season. For him, there is still a big goal in mind that applies to this season and any potential campaign past 2024. “That’s what motivates me on being here, honestly, to be the quarterback who does it,” Prescott said. “Who wins it. I don’t think winning it in any other place would be the same as winning it here. That is A-No. 1 in wanting to be here, to be honest with you.” There’s a sense of camaraderie within the locker room going into this pivotal season towards the franchise’s future direction, as Prescott isn’t the only one heading into a contract year. Whether it be veterans like Zack Martin, DeMarcus Lawrence and Brandin Cooks or role players like Osa Odighizuwa and Jourdan Lewis, a large handful of players can put themselves in Prescott’s shoes from an expiring contract standpoint. If Dak Prescott reaches free agency, that’s a problem for the Cowboys – Ted Nguyen, The Athletic The Cowboys could find themselves in a bind if they are unable to strike a new deal with Dak Prescott. Ideally, the Cowboys would have extended Prescott this offseason but owner and general manager Jerry Jones would have to be willing to reset the market because Prescott has all the leverage. Prescott knows if he doesn’t sign this season, he’ll likely be the highest-paid player in the league after free agency next season. “There’s no way I would sign a deal if I were Prescott unless it’s crazy,” a former general manager told The Athletic. “So I would only ask for crazy to see where it goes.” According to a league source, if a deal gets done soon, it should be somewhere around four years, $240 million, putting him at $60 million per year. Joe Burrow, Jordan Love and Trevor Lawrence all got contracts that average $55 million per year. Of course, we can’t know what Prescott is asking for exactly but with how quarterback deals have trended and with what he knows he’ll be able to get when teams bid for his services next season, it’s not unreasonable to ask for $60 million or more. Prescott would likely get $63 million to $65 million per year in the open market, especially since there’s a good chance the salary cap will increase again next offseason, but maybe he’d be happy staying in Dallas for $60 million if the deal gets done soon. It’s also somewhat understandable that Jones is unwilling to reset the market by that much. But what other choice does he have? He doesn’t have another viable starting quarterback on the roster. Maybe he tried to create some leverage by trading a fourth-round pick for Trey Lance last offseason, and although Lance showed some promise this preseason, he also showed he’s still not ready to be a starter in this league, throwing five interceptions against the Chargers in the preseason finale. Cowboys’ theme of the season? Mike McCarthy says Dallas will be ‘rooted’ in 2024 – Chris Amaya, Dallas Morning News Mike McCarthy explains the theme for his fifth season as the head coach in Dallas. The Cowboys head coach told reporters he introduced players to the newest theme Wednesday morning. He described the phrase “rooted” as being based on the foundation he and the team have built over the last five years. The theme also incorporates an analogy of a bamboo tree that doesn’t grow until its fifth year of watering. With Year 5 of the McCarthy era kicking off Sunday in Cleveland, the head coach was reminded of some life advice he received from his father. “My dad gave me some good advice about living your life in five-year increments, and what you can learn in that time of space. Not trying to do too much, too fast, and it was more of a life lesson,” McCarthy said. “So, I think the fifth year of what we’ve done and what we have to build off of is part of the root system that’s in place here.” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy sees ‘opportunity’ in lame-duck season – Todd Archer, ESPN Mike McCarthy is focused only on winning as he enters his final year on his contract as the Cowboys’ head coach. As McCarthy begins his fifth season as the Cowboys’ coach Sunday at the Cleveland Browns (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox), this is the noise that surrounds him as he enters the last year of his contract. Each week will be a referendum on his future. “I’m thankful and appreciate the opportunity in front of me,” McCarthy said to start this week. “That’s really how it’s been. I get what goes with contracts and I really don’t want to speak on it, because I haven’t spoke on it, because there’s really nothing to talk about. It doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is today, and that’s really something we can all just stay in touch with because we do have responsibilities outside of winning games, but the only thing that truly pays the bills is winning games. “That’s where my mind is at. I’m 30-plus years into this.
Star Points: Caelen Carson knee injury, Lamb ready to roll, Micah to go assassin mode
Dallas Cowboys add rookie cornerback to injury report :: LoneStar Live Link Caelen Carson was listed as a full participant Thursday but appeared on the report with a knee designation, signaling that he got hurt during practice. He was walking around the locker room without a noticeable limp after practice, so his level of participation in Friday’s walkthrough could hint at the true severity of the injury. The fifth-round draft pick had been promoted to starter status after DaRon Bland suffered a foot fracture last month. CeeDee Lamb full go for Cowboys versus Browns: ‘Yeah, I’m on’ :: The Mothership Link The ramp-up is complete. After being away from the team for the entire offseason, Lamb signed a megacontract extension and rejoined practice following the preseason. “Shout out to the guys, the coaches, for really guiding me throughout this whole week,” he said at Thursday’s all-important padded session. “Obviously, I knew that mentally I was ready and physically it’s a little different of a story, but today got me ready.” Parsons, Lawrence eyeing ideal situation as Cowboys look to start quick in Cleveland :: Cowboys Wire Link The Cowboys’ bookend pass rushers may be salivating. Cleveland has announced that left tackle Jedrick Wills, a top-10 draft pick in 2020, will not start in Week 1 as he continues to rehab a knee injury. His replacement, Jack Conklin, is an All-Pro… but at right tackle; the 30-year-old hasn’t played on the left side since his college days at Michigan State. Dawand Jones will sub in at right tackle, but he struggled last year, particularly in the run game. Cowboys set to start most rookies ever in Week 1 :: Derek Eagleton NFL Week 1: Three reasons to heart-eyes emoji the Cowboys-Browns matchup :: Cowboys Wire Link The Browns are on the upswing, but they haven’t exactly been the model of consistency lately. Quarterbacks Deshaun Watson hasn’t been the same since joining the team after his sexual harassment scandal. And their bellcow back, Nick Chubb, won’t play at all. If the Cowboys are looking for reasons to be extra optimistic about getting a Week 1 win, there’s three. Micah Parsons ‘ready to be an assassin’ for the Cowboys defense :: Fox 4 KDFW Link Parsons chose an unusual (and violent) analogy to describe the mindset he’s carrying into 2024. “There’s the killer, the hitman, and the assassin. You know, the killer is sloppy. He’s gonna get caught. You know, he’s not very good at what he does, but he’s a killer. You know, he’s roaming the streets. You got the hitman. The hitman might not get caught. But you know who did it. You know he’s probably a little bit more clean. And the assassin, you probably don’t even know he’s there and you know he’s done it. So, each time, you really want to develop him. And you know, at this fourth-year mark for me, I think I’m ready to be an assassin,” he said. Composite power rankings have Cowboys all over map, but ultimately looking good vs Browns :: Cowboys Wire Link Looking across 21 sets of power rankings, the Cowboys can be found as high as 5th and as low as 19th as they head into their Week 1 matchup in Cleveland. They average out, though, with a ranking of 11th. The Browns come in just below, at 13.19, meaning Sunday’s game should be a close contest. What did Cowboys owner Jerry Jones unload in interview on Stephen A. Smith podcast? :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram Link Over the 70-minute chat, Jones dodged a direct question about not pursuing Derrick Henry, he stuck to his guns on how he drags out getting his biggest contracts done, he downplayed any notion of hiring of Deion Sanders to coach the team, and he expressed surprise that Cowboys fans aren’t more optimistic about this season. But he also confirmed that Dak Prescott is very much a part of the franchise’s long-term plans. Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy sees ‘opportunity’ in lame-duck season :: ESPN Link If McCarthy is unhappy about having to coach through the final year of his contract- with nothing in place for 2025- he’s not admitting it. “I get what goes with contracts and I really don’t want to speak on it, because I haven’t spoke on it, because there’s really nothing to talk about. It doesn’t matter,” McCarthy said. “I can’t stand up in front of a group of men and consistently on a daily basis demand that they focus their time and energy on winning, and then I’m up here talking about things that have nothing to do with winning.” If Troy Aikman could apply one current-day NFL rule to when he played, what would it be? :: Dallas Morning News Link The Hall of Famer, whose career was cut short by a series of concussions and recurring back problems, says he would have enjoyed the protection that today’s quarterbacks are provided by current NFL rules. “I should put together a highlight real of the worst hits I took,” Aikman joked. “You would think [the] players probably had been banned from the NFL, and there wasn’t even a penalty on the play.” The three-time Super Bowl winner and current broadcaster has, ironically, gotten in trouble for suggesting on-air that today’s QBs are too soft. No substantive changes to kickoff rule for regular season :: Tom Pelissero
Cowboys Roundup: TE lands on Week 1 injury report, Watson predicted to light up Dallas DBs
Updates: John Stephens added to injury report :: The Mothership Link The tight end who missed all of 2023 with an ACL tear may be in doubt for this season’s opener, too. Stephens made the first injury report of the season with hamstring trouble. He was the only Cowboys player on the roster who did not practice on Wednesday. Cowboys WR Brandin Cooks: Amount of criticism cast on Dak Prescott ‘blasphemy’ :: NFL.com Link The veteran receiver called the widespread criticism of his quarterback “unbelievable,” saying, “The guy shows up every year, year in and year out.” Cooks put it on himself and his teammates to do more to help Prescott. “A lot of those great quarterbacks that I’ve been with- Tom [Brady] and Drew [Brees]- don’t get me wrong, they won a lot of games, won a lot of Super Bowls, but they had a lot of help around them as well, right?” he asked. “When we hear that disrespect, I take that personally and as his teammates we should take that personally.” Rapoport: Prescott, Cowboys ‘are not close’ on new deal prior to Week 1 :: Kevin Gray Jr. McCarthy reveals 2024 theme, but what are these Cowboys actually ‘rooted’ in? :: Cowboys Wire Link The coach’s theme for the season seeks to build off the foundation he’s built over his four years in Dallas. But McCarthy will need buy-in from a team who largely has even less history with the club; only 19% of the Cowboys’ presumptive Week 1 roster has been there with him from the start. McCarthy’s hoping for explosive growth in Year Five; it may be the only thing keeping him “rooted” in Dallas past 2024. NFL Hope-O-Meter results: Ranking how optimistic fans are for all 32 teams :: The Athletic Link Thirty-six regular-season wins in three years have not carried over to 2024 optimism for Cowboys Nation. The team ranks 30th out of 32 in this survey, with only a pathetic 19.9% of fans feeling hopeful about the Cowboys’ chances this season. Fans pointed to a poor offseason, contract uncertainty, and a “toxic” atmosphere thanks to the Jones family. (Fans were surveyed before CeeDee Lamb’s contract extension came down, but that news is unlikely to have moved the needle dramatically.) New jersey number, Who’s this? Cowboys 53-man roster, practice squad for Week 1 vs Cleveland Browns :: Cowboys Wire Link Among the notable jersey updates, Caelen Carson will now wear the old No. 21 that terrorized opposing quarterbacks when it was worn by Deion Sanders. Carl Lawson inherits Leighton Vander Esch’s old No. 55, Ryan Flournoy moves to 80, and Brevyn Spann-Ford takes over No. 89. NFL scout provides huge prediction for Browns QB Deshaun Watson vs. Cowboys :: SI.com Link One AFC-based scout is expecting Watson to light things up on Sunday: “I don’t think the Cowboys’ secondary is going to be very good. Losing Stephon Gilmore was a huge setback for them. Trevon Diggs is a playmaker, but he is capable of giving up big plays, too. Watson could throw an interception; I just won’t predict that. I think around 250 to 300 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions. I also think Cleveland will come away with a win. With all the drama that Dallas has gone through this offseason, I expect a slightly slow start as they figure everything out.” Playing for hated college team will help Cowboys rookie LB ‘cut it loose’ as Week 1 starter in Cleveland :: Cowboys WIre Link Marist Liufau says his own experience at some of the nation’s most intimidating college venues has him well prepared for Cleveland’s Dawg Pound. “You either love Notre Dame or you hate them, so everywhere we go on the road, everyone hates us,” he said of his alma mater. “That’s helped me to grow as a player and kind of handle those environments and sort it out.” The rookie linebacker is set to start in Week 1. A heavy task? Dallas Cowboys rookie CB Caelen Carson is ready for his NFL debut against Cleveland :: DLLS Link The fifth-round rookie has been thrust into a Week 1 starting role with the injury to DaRon Bland, but he’s taking it in stride. The same thing happened to him as a true freshman at Wake Forest. “I don’t try and make it a big moment. It’s just going to be like any other game,” Carson said. “I’ve been playing football all my life, so I just feel like nothing changes. It’s just more people and television, but at the end of the day, you’ve been doing this since you were five years old.” Cowboys rookie LT Tyler Guyton faces toughest challenge of year in Week 1 :: Cowboys Wire Link The first-round draft pick has arguably the toughest one-on-one matchup in the NFL right out of the gate in 2024, facing Browns defensive end and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. Guyton has done nothing but impress in camp and the preseason, but Garrett is a different kind of game-wrecker. The good news is that everything after Week 1 is likely to be easier for the young left tackle. PFF thinks Micah Parsons is going to tie this all-time Cowboys record :: Cowboys Wire Link The polarizing outlet predicts Dallas to finish third in the division, but they also forecast Parsons to end the season with 20 sacks. Somehow, though, that’s still not good enough to win him the Defensive Player of the Year honors. The Original No. 88 of the Dallas Cowboys explains how the ’88 Club’ started at No. 13 :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram Link The Cowboys’ “88 Club” has become an entity all its own, spanning several generations of legendary Dallas receivers to wear the famed number. But it almost never got off the ground with Drew Pearson; he was issued No. 13 before his first preseason game with the club back in 1973. No. 88 belonged to Ron Sellers, who was later traded to Miami.
Offensive line injuries could play a role in Cowboys vs Browns outcome
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The Cowboys pass rush might have a weakness to exploit on the Browns One of the big stories going into the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns game this week concerned the left tackle position. Mainly folks were wondering how Cowboys rookie Tyler Guyton would hold up against Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, or his partner Za’Darius Smith. While Guyton, a first-round draft pick in 2024 has looked fantastic in training camp and the little bit of preseason he played, he is still a rookie and a real NFL game is like nothing else. It was a foregone conclusion that the Browns defense would try to isolate Guyton in the pass rush and take advantage. But as it turns out, the Cowboys may be up to some of that, too. Micah Parsons is every bit the equal of Garrett in the pass rush department, and he may be lining up against a backup on Sunday. The Browns were hoping to have starting left tackle Jedrick Wills back on Sunday, but he missed practice on Thursday due to injury and told reporters that he would not be starting on Sunday. “I’m not starting this week,” Wills said on Wednesday, via Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan. “I’m just going out there for individual [drills]. Just seeing how it feels and get back into things.” Wills is coming back from MCL surgery. Head coach Kevin Stefnaski had mentioned the possibility of Wills playing this week. But it sounds like if that were to happen, it would be on some sort of rotational basis. The Browns are also having issues with their starting right tackle, Jack Conklin, as he too shows up on the injury report. No Jedrick Wills Jr. today at practice. Jack Conklin has been limited last 2 days during portion open to reporters which could open the door for James Hudson #Browns — Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) September 5, 2024 It looks like they will not be playing Wills, and another report had Conklin only doing individual drills and being basically a spectator on Wednesday. The Browns offensive line could be down their two best tackles on Sunday. Part of the reason the Cowboys are 2.5-point (FanDuel) underdogs to the Browns is the rookies on the offensive line, especially Guyton who will have to deal with Garrett. But Micah Parsons unleashed against backup tackles, along with DeMarcus Lawrence, would be a huge advantage for the Cowboys defense. Keep an eye on this as Friday’s injury report comes out. Check out our partner FanDuel for all your betting needs.
Thursday Night Football odds, picks and live discussion: Ravens at Chiefs
Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images FOOTBALL IS BACK. The 2024 NFL regular season has finally arrived. Tonight the season begins with a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens. That is a high-powered AFC clash. Our partners at FanDuel have the Chiefs as three-point favorites in the game. This should be a good one with revenge for last year’s playoff loss on the minds of the Ravens. They’ve added Derrick Henry to help carry the load, but they have to travel to KC for the game. It’s hard to bet against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. In this game, the Chiefs will win, but the Ravens will cover in a 24-22 Kansas City victory. Check out FanDuel for all of your NFL betting needs. This is an open thread for game chat.
NFL Week 1: Three reasons to heart-eyes emoji the Cowboys-Browns matchup
To paraphrase from a famous song, ‘It was all good just a week ago’ for the Browns starting QB. OK, so it may have been a little longer than that, as one would have to think really hard to remember the last time Watson was a top quarterback. In 2020, Watson was a Pro Bowl signal caller for the Houston Texans throwing for 33 touchdowns. It was his third straight All-Star season, and Watson was among the game’s best QBs during his time in Houston. Then came the sexual harassment scandal that derailed Watson’s career. Watson has since played in only 12 games, and thrown for just 14 scores against nine interceptions. Since the time off in 2021, Watson hasn’t been the same in his last two years with the Browns. Watson also hasn’t played in the preseason while still rehabbing from the shoulder injury that cost him most of his 2023 season. However, there is no worry about him missing the season opener.
![[UPDATE] Cowboys injury report: Browns’ Wills tells reporters “I’m not starting this week”](https://i1.wp.com/howboutdemcowboys.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/usa_today_24135543.0.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1 "[UPDATE] Cowboys injury report: Browns’ Wills tells reporters “I’m not starting this week”")
[UPDATE] Cowboys injury report: Browns’ Wills tells reporters “I’m not starting this week”
Phil Masturzo/ Beacon Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK Here is the Dallas Cowboys injury report for Thursday [UPDATE]: CB Caelen Carson was added to the injury report. He was a full participant, but was listed with a knee issue. Here is the Thursday practice report for the #DallasCowboys and Cleveland Browns: – CB Caelen Carson was added as a full participant with a knee injury – Browns T Jedrick Wills (knee) DNP after saying yesterday he would not start pic.twitter.com/VDsiAqSup9 — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisDC) September 5, 2024 For the second day in a row, the Cowboys injury report is looking good. Today’s report looks the same as yesterday. Along the defensive line, Mazi Smith (Achilles) and Marshawn Kneeland (knee) were full participants. Israel Mukuamu was practicing again as was Damone Clark, also listed as full participants. John Stephens still remains out from team activities at least for another day. Thursday’s #Browns and #Cowboys injury report pic.twitter.com/YrU1IasZ3z — Chris Easterling (@ceasterlingABJ) September 5, 2024 For Cleveland, it appears they will be without their starting left tackle. Jedrick Wills told reporters he will not start against the Cowboys and missed practice on Thursday. If the news holds true and Wills misses this week’s game, it’ll be a big loss for Browns’ chances at neutralizing the Cowboys’ pass rush led by Micah Parsons. Additionally, Jack Conklin, who likely will start in Wills’ place was again limited at practice. Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson was listed as limited at practice on Thursday with a knee injury.
Rust could be a significant factor in the outcome of Week 1 for the Cowboys
Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images Don’t be surprised if the Cowboys look a little rusty in the 2024 season opener. Ideally, the Dallas Cowboys would come out in the season opener against the Cleveland Browns in Week 1 of the 2024 season and already look as if they’re in midseason form. That unfortunately is probably unrealistic considering the majority of their starters had little to no snaps in the preseason, and because of that, will likely look a little rusty early on. Rust could be a significant factor in the outcome of this Week 1 matchup with the Cleveland Browns. The Cowboys decision to rest the majority of their starters on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball in the preseason means whatever rust they needed to knock off was hopefully done in training camp. Sadly, training camp practices may not have been enough to completely knock off all of the rust. Offensively there are a couple of big factors that could result in some sloppy play in this Week 1 matchup with the Browns. For one, the offensive line continuity may not be at the level it really needs to be at the beginning of the season. As things stand right now, it looks as if the Cowboys will have two new faces starting for them at two critical positions along their offensive line. Cooper Beebe and Tyler Guyton, both rookies this year, will need to be at their best against Cleveland and their talented defensive front. With mostly just practice reps with the other starters, communication will be key. If that’s not concern enough, the connection between Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb will only have a few practice reps to get back to where it was last season because of No. 88’s holdout. These two combined for 135 receptions for 1,749 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in 2023. Hopefully there’s little to no rust with their synchronization. We can only hope CeeDee Lamb was putting in the work during his time away from the team while contract negotiations were ongoing. Even if he was, he still may not be exactly in “football” shape right away. It may take him a little time on his own to knock off a little rust, and as such, may struggle a bit in Week 1. There might be just as much concern about players looking a little rusty on the defensive side of the ball as well. Not only are they still learning and fine tuning themselves to Mike Zimmer’s new defensive scheme, but a lot of them didn’t participate in any of the preseason either. Plus, injuries and free agent additions will play a factor as well. Jordan Phillips and Linval Joseph haven’t had much time to acclimate themselves in Dallas other than in training camp practice. That alone could have a ripple effect through the rest of the defense from Dallas’ young linebacker corps to their secondary where it looks as if they will start at rookie CB Caelen Carson as DaRon Bland’s injury fill-in on the outside. So yes, while the shortened preseason may help prevent early season injuries, it also likely means we could see quite a bit of rust still remaining for several Cowboys players. That could result in sloppiness in all three phases the game in the season opener against the Browns, but only time will tell how much it will play a factor in the outcome.
Composite power rankings have Cowboys all over map, but ultimately looking good vs Browns
Power rankings can be fun to look at and certainly make for serious sports debate, but it’s always important to take the source into consideration. For every analyst who thinks Team A is markedly better than Team B, there’s another talking head from somewhere else who says just the opposite. The truth usually lies somewhere in the middle. Germany-based stats guy René Bugner, familiar to NFL fans for compiling draft report cards every year and giving composite grades, has worked his spreadsheet magic on power rankings for Week 1 of the 2024 regular season. Using the published rankings from 21 different outlets, Bugner delivers a more comprehensive look at where each team in the league really falls in the eyes of all the major analysts, not just one. Unsurprisingly, there’s quite a bit of fluctuation in how the experts see the Cowboys shaping up for their opener in Cleveland, but the overall average ranking should leave fans feeling optimistic about Sunday’s game versus the Browns. Dallas ranks as high as 5th, earning that spot from both Mike Clay at ESPN and Frank Schwab at Yahoo Sports. John Kosko at PFF has the Cowboys slotted 6th, and Josh Kendall of The Athletic puts them at 7. Those relatively high marks get dragged down somewhat by Nate Davis at USA Today and Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, who have the Cowboys ranked 18th and 19th, respectively. Mark Maske of the Washington Post grades them slightly better, at 15th, while the New York Post‘s Ryan Dunleavy and Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News rank Dallas 14th this week. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] The other 12 sets of power rankings, though, all have the Cowboys sitting between 9th and 12th. And that’s where the Cowboys finish, with an overall average ranking of 11.00, good for 10th-best in the league this week. The Browns aren’t too far behind, ranking as high as 9th and as low as 19th. Their average ranking of 13.19 signals that the two teams will likely be well-matched for a close contest when they meet on the shores of Lake Erie. Related Links:
Cowboys offseason countdown: 99 facts until the regular season (Day 3)
Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images We countdown the days to kickoff giving you an interesting fact about each number. Today is number 3 We are at day 3 of our 99 day countdown until the regular season. Here is your daily fact associated with number 3. The fastest touchdown ever recorded in the NFL was by a Dallas Cowboys player, and it was scored just 3 seconds after kickoff. Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images Andy Reid has consistently demonstrated a willingness to adopt an aggressive approach during games. However, in his fourth season with the Eagles, this boldness proved to be counterproductive when they encountered a unique situation: trailing by a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys just three seconds into the game, a scenario unprecedented in the history of the league. In a significant Week 6 matchup in 2003 featuring the Cowboys and the Eagles, kicker David Akers initiated the game with an onside kick. However, rather than the Eagles recovering the ball, Cowboys receiver Randal Williams intercepted it mid-air, demonstrating his preparedness for the play and marking the beginning of a record-setting event. Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images Williams earned a reputation as a remarkably swift player. As he secured the ball, Williams utilized his remarkable quickness to evade a tackle attempt by an Eagles player, making a direct dash toward the end zone. This remarkable 37-yard return consumed merely three seconds of game time, establishing an NFL record that remains unbroken. Given the recent changes to kickoff regulations, it appears that this record may never be surpassed. The new kickoff rules will ensure that Randal Williams will keep the record for the fastest TD scored. 3 seconds. pic.twitter.com/10hlnpGqZU — Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) March 26, 2024 Dallas ultimately triumphed in the match with a score of 23-21, underscoring the significance of the touchdown in securing their victory.
