Dallas Cowboys helmet (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Dallas Cowboys tight end John Stephens has suffered a season-ending injury that could leave his future with the team in doubt.

According to Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, Stephens sustained a torn ACL in training during practice on Wednesday and is done for 2024.

“TE John Stephens Jr. suffered a torn ACL during Wednesday’s practice and will miss the rest of the season, per HC Mike McCarthy,” the league’s news roundup for this Thursday notes.

This marks Stephens’s second such injury in as many years. The TE tore his left ACL during preseason last year and missed the entire campaign.

This sort of recurring injury could ruin a player’s career, considering the timeline of recovery and the possibility of decreased effectiveness.

John Stephens Must Feel Like He Has The Worst Luck

John Stephens joined the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2023 but hasn’t been able to make a single appearance due to his ACL woes. According to sources, the team was monitoring his development with a view of incorporating him into the offense and allowing him to contribute. There was a chance of him getting minutes against the San Francisco 49ers following the team’s bye week.

It appears the Cowboys coaching staff was high on Stephen’s prospects, and he had a real shot of being handed a role.

The player is likely cursing his luck after suffering another ACL injury right when he was about to get a look in.

Meanwhile, Stephens is set for surgery, which should take place in the coming days on the back of his devastating setback.