FRISCO, Texas -- Things have not gone well for the Dallas Cowboys this year, especially in the injury department. And they got even worse on that front Monday night.
Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who has been one of the team's few bright spots this season, suffered a knee injury early in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys' "Monday Night Football" loss against the Bengals. That injury will require surgery and put an end to his season, owner Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday.
And according to coach Mike McCarthy, there's a chance Overshown misses the entire 2025 season, too.
"DeMarvion is getting ready to have a big surgery in front of him," McCarthy said Tuesday. "Significant knee injury. You could feel it on the sidelines. Just being on the field for part of the exam, I knew it was serious. but, obviously, his physical and football talents speak for itself. He's just such a bright light. He's got a great, infectious personality. Tough, tough young man. We're definitely going to miss him. He's got a long road of rehab in front of him. He will obviously be loved and supported every step of the way."
ESPN reported on Tuesday that Overshown tore his ACL, MCL and PCL. With that severe of an injury, McCarthy felt it was "fair" to say Overshown could miss the entire 2025 season given how late in 2024 his knee injury occurred.
"I think that's fair. The time of year. Obviously we're in December. I think like anything, you have the surgery and the rehab is a long process. I think that's very realistic," McCarthy said.
Overshown got rolled up on by multiple players while trying to wade through the muck and make a tackle, and his right knee got pinned under the scrum of bodies. Overshown, who missed his entire rookie season with a torn left ACL, was helped off the field by trainers and quickly ruled out. After the game, McCarthy labeled the injury as serious while adding that the initial reports did not look encouraging.
Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons was reduced to tears when discussing Overshown's injury.
"He's like my little bro," Parsons said. "He don't deserve that, he really don't. To understand what he's going to have to have to go through. ... He's so talented, the year he was having. I really don't think it's fair."
The 24-year-old linebacker ends his 2024 season with 90 tackles, five sacks, an interception, a pick-six, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for a Cowboys team that has dealt with a barrage of injuries on both sides of the ball. Prior to getting hurt, Overshown had a key pass breakup that forced a turnover on downs.
"We're just seeing the tip of the iceberg, really," McCarthy recently said of Overshown. "I'm so impressed with him, and in his consistency, in his approach, and that's just going to keep putting him in the position to progress."
Dallas defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer sees parallels between Overshown and Cowboys Ring of Honor defensive back Darren Woodson.
"Different positions, but kind of like Darren Woodson. Just the impact, the different things he can do and the speed that he has and physicality," Zimmer said of Overshown on Tuesday. "He would probably be the closest that I can think of off the top of my head."