Tony Pollard reflects on season-ending injury ahead of return to San Francisco

The Dallas Cowboys‘ 2022 season ended in heartbreak but perhaps for none more so than running back Tony Pollard. On top of taking a second-straight playoff loss to the 49ers, Pollard fractured his fibula and suffered a high-ankle sprain that knocked him out of the game at the worst possible time.

Right after the play that resulted in the injury to the former Memphis star, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw an interception, causing the momentum to shift even further in San Francisco’s direction.

“It was frustrating,” Pollard said on Wednesday about the injury, via DallasCowboys.com. “Especially when I got hurt, we were in the red zone about to score on a drive. We had a good drive going and then that killed the momentum. I kinda felt like I let my team down. It hurt.”

Watching his team lose after such a successful season was as painful for Pollard as the two injuries he sustained.

“It hurt, you’re so invested,” he added. “You have so much invested into the season, you know you’ve got goals and who you want to be, but it hurts once you get cut short like that. Mostly I was just frustrated because I couldn’t help the team and be out there to get a win.”

Instead of getting a big contract extension at the end of his first Pro Bowl season, Pollard got surgery and a franchise tag.

Cowboys using playoff loss as motivation on Sunday

After Dak Prescott thanked a reporter on Sunday for bringing the feelings from the loss rushing back and “pissing him off,” Pollard told the media that it’s “in the past” but the feelings remain as motivation.

“We definitely have it in the back of our minds just that disappointment, that feeling,” Pollard said. “At this point, we’re using that as motivation and leaving the past in the past and we’re ready for this year.”

The Cowboys have a chance to make a huge statement on Sunday night in front of a primetime audience. San Francisco is undefeated and the leader in the Vegas odds to win the Super Bowl this season. A win on Sunday would catapult Dallas to the top of the NFC – if they can contain the 49ers’ offense and generate some red zone success of their own.

“I’m always excited,” Pollard said. “It’s another opportunity to go out there and show what we can do. Last game, I was hurt and couldn’t finish it off so this is a big one for me.”