The Dallas Cowboys lost a heartbreaker to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. While everyone is talking about the manner in which Dallas lost, the bigger loss came in the form of ascending linebacker DeMarvion Overshown.
Overshown's right leg capsized after he was barreled into by a Bengals offensive linemen. Replay showed Overshown's leg bend awkwardly. He needed the help of two team doctors to get off the field and was ruled out almost immediately upon entering the X-ray room.
That seldom foreshadows good news and it was reported shortly after the game that Overshown suffered more than just a torn ACL. The MRI needs to confirm, but the Cowboys anticipate that Overshown suffered damage to just more than one ligament.
Appearing on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday, Jerry Jones said the team already knows Overshown will need surgery on his knee.
Cowboys believe linebacker DeMarvion Overshown ruptured several ligaments in his knee. More severe than an ACL. Will know more on Tuesday. Whole team is devastated @DLLS_Cowboys
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) December 10, 2024
UPDATE: Overshown tore his ACL, PCL and MCL and will undergo surgery this week.
Everything about this is utter devastation.
Overshown will now have his second season-ending knee surgery in as many NFL seasons. He suffered a torn ACL last preseason that wiped out his rookie year. What made the initial injury that much more heartbreaking is that he showed flashes of a highly promising player.
RELATED: Slow-motion video of DeMarvion Overshown injury looks awful for the Cowboys
In his first full season, Overshown was on on All-Pro trajectory. From his self-created pick-six on Thanksgiving, blowing up running plays at and behind the line of scrimmage and sacking quarterbacks in the blink of an eye, he is a big play waiting to happen.
Overshown absolutely deserved Pro Bowl recognition this year. He finished with 90 tackles, eight tackles for loss and four passes defended. He's second among linebackers with five sacks, fourth with 20 pressures, fifth with three pass breakups and sixth with a 78.9 pass-rush grade, per PFF (subscription required).
Again, this was Overshown's first full season. He got better every week and only scratched the surface of his potential.
According to longtime Cowboys reporter Clarence Hill Jr., the team doesn't expect Overshown back until 2026. That means Overshown will probably miss the entire 2025 season. That is not confirmed, but again the 24-year-old suffered damage to multiple ligaments. He'll need full reconstructive surgery.
An isolated ACL tear would have been the best-case scenario here. Overshown's breakout year is proof that players can come back from the injury in less than a year. Given the nature of this injury, though, it makes sense why the former Texas Longhorn is headed for a full year of rehab.
Your heart just aches for Overshown.
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