The ghost of Troy Aikman’s broken collarbone in 1998 still whispers through the halls of The Star in Frisco, a chilling reminder that a single, awkward landing can rewrite an entire season in an instant. For the Dallas Cowboys and their electrifying rookie, Jaydon Blue, that ominous feeling returned with a vengeance on Friday night. As a physician, Dr. Jesse Morse ominously tweeted post-game.

“Jaydon Blue. Right ankle injury. This is either a medial ankle sprain or a high-ankle sprain. Unclear on severity. Likely an MRI in the morning. There’s a chance this could potentially impact the early part of his season.” The diagnosis hangs over Oxnard like a fog, threatening to obscure the bright future everyone saw for the fifth-round pick just a quarter earlier. Though the Cowboys ended their preseason with a dominating win over the Falcons, Blue’s injury ruined the mood.

Blue’s night was a microcosm of his entire young career. He made his long-awaited preseason debut after missing weeks with a bone bruise on the same right heel, and he didn’t waste a second. He was on kick coverage for his first pro snap, making the tackle.

On the Cowboys’ second drive, he pressed through for a huge 13-yard gain down to the goal line. Then, he powered through a tackle attempt for a 1-yard touchdown, a moment that felt like a coronation. But in the fourth quarter, on a simple 6-yard reception negated by a penalty, Falcons DL Simeon Barrow brought him down, and Blue’s ankle bent awkwardly beneath the weight. He remained on the turf, and just like that, the celebration was over.

The Cowboys ruled him out immediately, a devastating setback for a player fighting for every rep in a crowded backfield.

A promising Blue ascent, now clouded by uncertainty

This isn’t just a simple twist; it’s a brutal case of déjà vu. This is the same ankle he bruised on August 7th when a teammate stepped on his foot, an injury that cost him precious practice time and the first two preseason games.

He had only just returned to full practice this week, with Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer noting his positive trend and Blue himself declaring, “I’m feeling great. I feel like I’m back to myself. I had to sit for the past two weeks. I’m just ready to get on the field and be able to play against a different team.” His performance against Atlanta proved it (they won it 31-13) —9 carries for 25 yards and that TD, showing the ‘quickness and ability to accelerate into the hole’ that Schotty described as ‘just different.’

The coaching staff saw him as the dynamic, dual-threat weapon their new-look offense craves, a “larger version of Darren Sproles” who could change the game in a single cut. Running backs coach Derrick Foster had already defended his work ethic. “After a shaky start in organized team activities and minicamp, Jaydon Blue is showing new focus and hard work.”, dismissing pre-draft critiques, and Blue used that doubt as fuel, earning first-team reps and building a rapport with Dak Prescott.

He was mastering the playbook, fixing his ball-security issues, and proving his 4.38 speed wasn’t just for a combine highlight. Now, all that momentum is paused, the poetry of his ascent interrupted by the stark prose of a medical report. The fear isn’t just about a missed game or two.

It’s that this could linger, limiting the very explosiveness that makes him special and potentially sidelining him for a grueling early-season stretch that includes the defending champion Eagles. For Jaydon Blue and the Cowboys, the wait for that MRI result feels infinitely longer than any 40-yard dash.