Cowboys activate tight end Peyton Hendershot from injured reserve

The Cowboys activated tight end Peyton Hendershot from injured reserve. He can give them depth at the position with a home date with the Eagles next on the schedule.

Hendershot was Dallas’ second-team tight end through the Cowboys game against the Raiders. However, he missed two games with a bad ankle before Dallas placed him on injured reserve. The Cowboys opened his 21-day return window in mid-November. Through the first three games, Hendershot played 96 snaps, registering one catch for three yards.

With Hendershot going to the active roster, Dallas placed Sean McKeon on injured reserve. The tight end room now features Jake Ferguson, rookie Luke Schoonmaker and Hendershot, the former Indiana standout.

Ferguson is doing well in his first full season as a starter with the Cowboys. He’s caught 46 passes for 498 yards and five touchdowns. He’s coming off a six-catch performance in a win over the Seattle Seahawks.

In addition to Hendershot, the Cowboys also opened the 21-day practice window for offensive tackle Matt Waletzko. The fifth-round pick from 2022, went to IR on Aug. 30 because of a shoulder injury. He can now begin practicing with the team.

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy had appendix surgery

Dallas is heading into the final part of the schedule with an eye on the top seed in the NFC. The Eagles, currently, own the best record in the division and the conference. The Cowboys and 49ers are tied at 9-3, but San Francisco owns the tie breaker. It’s all why Dallas’ game Sunday night against the Eagles at AT&T Stadium is so important.

But there was news Wednesday that could impact the game. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy reported to work Wednesday morning and went straight to the athletic trainer. His abdominal pain turned out to be acute appendicitis. Jane Slater with NFL Network reported that McCarthy was out of surgery by Wednesday afternoon.

The three coordinators ran practice. Dan Quinn, the Cowboys defensive coordinator, represented McCarthy at the daily press briefing. He said he knows his boss will be on the sidelines Sunday night.

But he said that McCarthy will be back for Sunday’s game.

“You really think that tough Irishman is going to miss this game?” Quinn quipped to reporters. “We’ll hold it down for practices. Knowing him, he’ll be online tonight wanting to go through red zone and third down and everything else.

“We expect him to be rocking by game day.”