John Stephens Jr. suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee for the second straight year, marking another significant setback in his career. After making a strong case for a roster spot as an undrafted free agent last season, the Cowboys had high hopes for his potential and planned to involve him more in the team's plans coming out of the bye week. Coach Mike McCarthy expressed deep disappointment at the injury, noting the impact it had on the team's practice energy and recognizing the hard work Stephens had put in.