The Dallas Cowboys netted their first win of the 2025 NFL season by outlasting the New York Giants via a 40-37 score on Sunday, but they have also been hit with some bad news.
Starting center Cooper Beebe, who got hurt in the Giants game, will be sidelined for up to eight weeks, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
“Cowboys center Cooper Beebe, a key part of their stellar O-line, is expected to miss 6-8 weeks with a high-ankle sprain, sources say. He’s almost certainly headed to Injured Reserve, but should be back in the second half of the season,” Rapoport wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday morning.
Beebe appeared to suffer the injury in the second half of the date with New York. His ankle apparently was in a shape so bad he had to be helped to the locker room. Beebe did not return to the game against the Giants, but the Cowboys fortunately managed to pull off a victory.
Backup center Brock Hoffman took the place of Beebe on the offensive line in overtime and played well, helping create space for Dak Prescott to operate in the pocket. Prescott's 14-yard rushing attempt with just under a minute left in overtime helped set up what became kicker Brandon Aubrey's game-winning field goal.
The news of Beebe's long-term absence is a big blow to Prescott's pass protection and to the Cowboys' rushing attack. So far in the 2025 NFL season, Beebe has a 70.4 overall grade on Pro Football Focus — the 10th highest among 39 centers. He also has a 66.3 pass blocking grade and a 71.1 run blocking grade, 15th and seventh best among centers in the NFL, respectively.
Beebe, who was selected in the third round (73rd overall) of the 2024 NFL draft by the Cowboys, played in 16 games and started in all of them during his rookie season.
