The Dallas Cowboys have just been hit with another injury blow, this time at the tight end position. The 3-3 NFC East team has already endured a series of health issues throughout what has been a rough season to this point. But this most recent report reveals their harshest injury so far which took place during practice on Wednesday.

For the second consecutive year, Cowboys’ tight end John Stephens Jr. tore his ACL according to ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter. In an incident that as Cowboys’ head coach Mike McCarthy put it, “sucked life out of practice,” the second-year player’s season ended in a flash. This comes at a time when the Cowboys are reeling from a historic home loss to the Detroit Lions and head into a crucial matchup against the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday.

The Cowboys have been plagued by injuries this season

Dallas currently has eight players on the injury report including All-Pros Brandon Aubrey and Micah Parsons. Parsons is eying a return in the Bay Area as he recovers from a high-ankle sprain suffered against the New York Giants. He has been out the past two games Dallas has played against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions.

While John Stephens Jr. has yet to record a yard with the Cowboys in his two years in Dallas, this injury is a big blow. An undrafted free agent out of Louisiana Lafayette, Stephens Jr. is a 6’5 tight end who could have helped with the Cowboys’ red zone efficiency. An area where Dallas is really struggling. “America’s team” currently sits at second last place in red touchdown efficiency at 37.5%.

In addition, Stephen Jr.’s ACL tear comes at a time when quarterback Dak Prescott needs all the help he can get with the passing offense. Dallas posts by far the worse rushing offense in the league in both overall yards and yards per carry. Sitting at third in the NFC East, the Cowboys still have a lot to play for going forward. And they will have plenty of opportunities to salvage their season.

Looking ahead, Dallas has yet to play the two teams in the NFC ahead of them —  the 5-2 Washington Commanders and 4-2 Philadelphia Eagles. But it won’t get easier from here on out for Jerry Jones’ franchise.

As of now, except for on two occasions against the Giants and the Cincinnati Bengals, every team that Dallas is set to play going forward is .500 or above. So despite the brutal loss of Stephens Jr., Dak Prescott and company will need to rebound from this setback as soon as possible.