The Dallas Cowboys finally tasted preseason success on Friday night, picking up a 31-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons at AT&T Stadium. It was a much-needed performance after America's Team was outscored 62-34 on aggregate in back-to-back losses to open the preseason, leaving time to tell if the Cowboys' first (and only) exhibition win will motivate them to start the regular season on a high note.
Although there was plenty to celebrate on Friday, Dallas' win wasn't without a loss. Rookie running back Jaydon Blue left the game with an apparent leg injury after making a six-yard catch in the fourth quarter, leaving Cowboys fans worried if the first-year stud would be in danger of missing some serious time.
Fortunately, it sounds like the worst-case scenario has been dodged.
Cowboys rookie RB Jaydon Blue on his ankle injury: “I don’t think it’s nothing serious. I’ve had ankles rolled plenty of times. I feel good right now.”
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 23, 2025
Cowboys Rookie RB Jaydon Blue Likely Only Dealing with Minor Leg Injury
Following the victorious preseason finale, Blue told The Athletic's Jon Machota that he isn't too worried about his injury and that he already feels better. "I don't think it's nothing serious," the Cowboys RB admitted. "I've had ankles rolled plenty of times. I feel good right now."
Well-known sports physician Dr. Jesse Morse also chimed in on social media, adding that Blue is likely dealing with "either a medial ankle sprain or a high-ankle sprain." Morse expects an MRI to be done sometime over the weekend, and didn't hide the fact that the promising rookie could miss some time.
"There’s a chance this could potentially impact the early part of his season," Morse wrote. "But it sounds like (Blue) got lucky."
With Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott gone, the Cowboys used a 2025 fifth-round pick to draft Blue out of the University of Texas. The local product had amassed 1,161 rushing yards on 214 carries, 503 receiving yards on 56 catches, and scored 18 total touchdowns during his three years with the Longhorns, leaving Dallas fans excited about his remaining in the Lone Star State with America's Team.
The Cowboys also signed veteran RBs Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders in free agency, meaning Blue needed a strong preseason to separate himself from his experienced counterparts. Friday night marked Blue's debut, and his performance wasn't anything to write home about, as he tallied 25 rushing yards on nine carries (2.8 yards per attempt) while also scoring a goal-line TD in the first quarter.
Williams is on track to be the RB1, making it interesting to see how the pecking order unfolds behind him. Blue will have a shot at the No. 2 job when he's healthy again, but Sanders and seventh-round rookie Phil Mafah will likely handle that role until then.
This year's 53-man roster deadline is quickly coming up on Tuesday, so Cowboys fans will have a better idea of what the 2025 backfield will look like once that passes.