Report: Malik Jefferson suffers plantar fascia injury, to get MRI

Preseason game No. 1 is completed for the Dallas Cowboys, falling to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The result of the game does not matter too much, with the focus being non-starting players reps. Especially a few rookies who were getting their first taste of the NFL.

Just one injury occurred on Saturday night, with linebacker Malik Jefferson leaving the game in the second half. He was seen by the Cowboys’ broadcast in the medical tent and after attempting to move, it was determined Jefferson could not return. Not something you want to see at any time, let alone the first preseason game of the year.

The Dallas Morning News was able to provide more information on the situation, saying Jefferson suffered a plantar fascia injury. There is an MRI scheduled to take place on Sunday. Once the results get in, more information will be provided.

“Linebacker Malik Jefferson was the only Cowboys player with an injury announced during the game,” the Dallas Morning News said. “He suffered a plantar fascia injury in the second half, two people familiar with the situation said. He is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Sunday.”

Depending on how the MRI turns out, Jefferson could be missing a significant amount of time. Foot injuries are not something to take lightly. Jefferson playing linebacker certainly does not help either.

Jefferson was able to make a difference on the field when able to play. He recorded four tackles, with two of them being solo. There was also a defended pass in there when dropping into coverage. Not the worst performance when considering his night was cut short.

More on Malik Jefferson

Jefferson is from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, attending Mesquite (TX) Poteet. He was a five-star prospect coming out of high school and played his college ball with the Texas Longhorns. After originally being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals, Jefferson is getting a chance with his hometown NFL team.

Dallas signed Jefferson back in February to a Reserve/Futures contract. He was with the organization during the 2022 season but was on the practice squad. Jefferson’s last action in an NFL game came in 2021 with the Indianapolis Colts.

If Jefferson is going to make the 53-man roster when the regular season rolls around, he is expected to have some work to do. Linebacker is a spot where Dallas feels comfortable, especially with how Dan Quinn runs his defense.