Tyron Smith will be out indefinitely after the star left tackle suffered a torn left hamstring during Dallas Cowboys practice, according to reports.
Smith, an eight-time Pro Bowler, sustained the injury when he went to make a block on linebacker Leighton Vander Esch on Wednesday.
Initial scans have revealed Smith does not have an anterior cruciate ligament issue, which had been feared at first, though ESPN now claim that he suffered a hamstring tear that could leave him facing months, rather than weeks, out of action.
Smith will undergo more tests on Thursday, though seems likely to miss the Cowboy's season opener against Tom Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Team-mate Connor McGoven spoke to Smith after practice.
"He gave me a nice reassuring grunt like he usually does," McGovern quipped. "That's the one thing playing next to him for so long, I can decipher his grunts. I think he's all right."
Smith's deal with the Cowboys runs through 2023, though the 31-year-old has not managed to play a full season since 2015.
Knee, ankle, neck and elbow injuries have plagued the last six seasons, while he also contracted COVID-19 last year.