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FRISCO, Texas -- Just by playing,
Jaylon Smith has accomplished something few thought he ever would after tearing the anterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments in his left knee and overcoming damage to the peroneal nerve.
In the
Dallas Cowboys' season finale Sunday against the
Philadelphia Eagles, Smith will play his 16th game, a full season.
“To be able to compete at the highest level, playing for America’s team, it’s a dream come true,” Smith said “But it’s just the beginning to something special.
A year ago at this time, Smith could not lift his toes because of the nerve damage. Through 15 games, he is the Cowboys’ second-leading tackler with 97, according to the coaches’ count. He has 1 sack, 3 tackles for loss, 4 quarterback pressures, 2 pass deflections and 2 forced fumbles.
Teammates have noticed his hard work. Last week, Smith was voted by his teammates as the Ed Block Courage Award winner, given to players who have overcome injuries.
Just playing in the season opener against the
New York Giants was an accomplishment, considering the state of his knee when the Cowboys took him in the second round of the 2016 draft, but he started the game, as well. He has played 560 of 989 defensive snaps on the season, splitting time with
Anthony Hitchens but starting six games because of injuries to Hitchens and
Sean Lee.
Smith’s snaps have ranged from 14 to 69 throughout the season. His tackle totals have ranged from 1 to 14.
“I think he’s just gotten more and more confident,” coach Jason Garrett said. “I think he’s seen a lot more looks than he had before he started playing. I just think he’s one of those guys who learns from those experiences. You see it in him. He probably triggers faster, he’s more aggressive and confident as a hitter. I think he’s probably better in pass coverage because, again, you have different experiences, some good and some not so good. If you approach it the right way and you learn from it, you’ll get better. He’s certainly done that.”
