Dallas Cowboys guard Tyler Smith will undergo thumb surgery, head coach Brian Schottenheimer announced Monday, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic.
Smith, who's earned a Pro Bowl berth in each of the past three seasons, is expected to miss four-to-six weeks.
TJ Bass will start at left guard for the Cowboys with Smith on injured reserve.
The thumb issue has bothered Smith "for some time," and he tried to avoid surgery, according to ESPN's Todd Archer.
Brian Schottenheimer says Tyler Smith thumb injury has been an issue most of training camp but something he tried to play through until he and team decided to permanently resolve issue before season starts.
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdNFL) September 7, 2026
Hand strength and grip essential to offensive line play.
Smith, 25, has started 63 games since the Cowboys drafted him 24th overall in 2022. He played left tackle as a rookie before transitioning to left guard, where he established himself as one of the NFL's best interior linemen.
The Tulsa product earned a second-team All-Pro berth in 2023. He signed a four-year, $96-million extension last year.
Smith returned to left tackle for Dallas' final three games last season after starter Tyler Guyton went down with an injury.
