On Sunday evening, the Dallas Cowboys kicked off their season with an ugly 28-20 road loss to the New York Giants. The Cowboys' new-look defense, which had received considerable hype from fans and pundits alike heading into this year, fell flat on its face in this one, finding itself unable to get off the field in the second half against New York.

Things went from bad to worse when Malik Hooker went down with an injury, and on Monday, the team got the latest update on his potential recovery process.

“#Cowboys S Malik Hooker fractured a bone in his forearm and he’s consulting with a hand specialist to learn his recovery time, sources say. While some breaks can mean a player is out six weeks, the hope is based on the specific bone and break, it’s quicker than that,” reported NFL insider Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network on X, formerly Twitter.

Article Continues Below

Hooker was one of the many Cowboys who struggled throughout the evening on Sunday, although the team would still certainly like to have him back in the lineup sooner rather than later as he recovers from the bone fracture.

The Cowboys' defense overall had been largely overhauled this offseason after the disastrous 2025 campaign, in which Dallas finished at or near the bottom in several key defensive categories. This included drafting Caleb Downs, bringing back Quinnen Williams on a lucrative deal, and many more moves.

However, Sunday's debacle against the divisional rivals was certainly not a great first impression for 2026.