Oct 16, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush (10) throws a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Cowboys keep QB Cooper Rush on 2-year deal

The Dallas Cowboys are re-signing backup quarterback Cooper Rush to a two-year deal worth up to $6 million, NFL Network reported Friday.

The first year and the signing bonus are fully guaranteed, per the report.

Rush, 29, guided the Cowboys to four straight wins from Weeks 2-5 in 2022 after starter Dak Prescott injured his right thumb in the season opener.

Rush lost his fifth start — on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6 — and finished the year with a 58.0 completion percentage and 1,051 passing yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions.

Since making his NFL debut with Dallas in 2017, he has completed 125 of 212 passes for 1,475 yards with eight touchdowns and four picks in 19 games (six starts).

–Field Level Media

Dec 24, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA;  Dallas Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson (6) reacts after a fourth down play during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Cowboys re-signing S Donovan Wilson to 3-year deal

The Dallas Cowboys are re-signing safety Donovan Wilson to a three-year deal worth up to $24 million, his agents confirmed Tuesday.

NFL Network reported that the first two seasons ($13.5 million) are fully guaranteed.

Contracts can become official on Wednesday, the start of the 2023 league year.

Wilson, 28, started all 17 games in 2022 and set career highs with 101 tackles and five sacks.

He has 203 tackles, 8.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and three interceptions in 51 games (30 starts) since the Cowboys drafted him in the sixth round in 2019.

Agents Kevin Conner and Robert Brown of Universal Sports & Entertainment Management confirmed the deal with NFL Network.

–Field Level Media

Oct 16, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys helmet on the bench against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Panthers’ Jeff Nixon up for Cowboys OC job

The Dallas Cowboys plan to interview Carolina Panthers assistant Jeff Nixon for their vacant offensive coordinator position, multiple outlets reported Tuesday.

Nixon, 48, joined the Panthers in 2020 and was the team’s running backs coach and assistant head coach last season.

The Cowboys parted ways Sunday with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who took the same position with the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday.

Nixon began his NFL coaching career with the Philadelphia Eagles as an offensive/special teams assistant from 2007-10. He coached running backs with the Miami Dolphins (2011-15) and tight ends with the San Francisco 49ers (2016) before joining Baylor coach Matt Rhule’s staff in 2017.

He was the co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach for the Bears through 2019 before departing to join Rhule’s staff in Carolina.

Nixon was Carolina’s running backs coach in 2020 and became the interim offensive coordinator in 2021 after the team fired Joe Brady in December of that season.

The Panthers (7-10) fired Rhule after a 1-4 start in 2022 and finished the season under interim coach Steve Wilks.

Carolina hired Frank Reich last week to be the new head coach. Nixon is not currently listed as a member of Reich’s coaching staff with the Panthers.

–Field Level Media

Nov 17, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Denver Broncos tight end Noah Fant (87) is tackled by Minnesota Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes (29) in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Berding-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Cowboys signing veteran CB Xavier Rhodes

The Dallas Cowboys are signing veteran cornerback Xavier Rhodes to their practice squad, NFL Network reported Saturday.

The Buffalo Bills waived the longtime Minnesota Vikings standout on Wednesday.

Rhodes, 32, appeared in just two games (one start) for Buffalo and contributed four tackles.

A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Rhodes has 13 interceptions (two returned for touchdowns) and 457 tackles in 135 games (127 starts) with the Vikings (2013-19), Indianapolis Colts (2020-21) and Bills.

Rhodes was a first-round pick in 2013 and an All-Pro first-team selection in 2017.

The Cowboys (12-4) have two cornerbacks on season-ending injured reserve — Jourdan Lewis (foot) and Anthony Brown (Achilles) — heading into their regular-season finale Sunday against the host Washington Commanders (7-8-1).

–Field Level Media

Dec 11, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard (20) carries the ball for a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the first half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports

Cowboys RB Tony Pollard to practice Wednesday

Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard will return to practice Wednesday, coach Mike McCarthy confirmed on Monday.

A first-time Pro Bowl selection this season, Pollard did not practice last week and sat out Thursday’s win against the Tennessee Titans with a thigh injury.

Pollard needs 12 yards in Sunday’s regular-season finale at Washington to reach 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his four-year career.

Pollard, 25, has rushed 186 times for 988 yards (5.3 average) and nine touchdowns in 15 games this season, adding 39 catches for 371 yards and three scores.

–Field Level Media

Jacksonville Jaguars safety Rayshawn Jenkins (2) tackles Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard (20) during the second quarter of a regular season NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

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Cowboys RB Tony Pollard (thigh) to play Thursday

Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard plans to play Thursday after missing practice to rest a thigh injury the team doesn’t consider serious.

Pollard was idle Tuesday but head coach Mike McCarthy confirmed Dallas plans to use him against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville on Thursday night. And owner Jerry Jones told 105.3 FM The Fan in Dallas that No. 20 would play in the game.

“I know it’s a short week, but we don’t have him down as something that — we’re counting on him playing,” Jones said.

Pollard enters the game 12 shy of 1,000 rushing yards and leads the Cowboys in rushing, but Ezekiel Elliott has 829 yards and 11 touchdowns, including scores in eight consecutive games.

Pollard has a team-leading 12 total touchdowns (three receiving). The 2022 Pro Bowl selection was limited to nine carries for 19 yards last week, when the Cowboys rallied to beat the Philadelphia Eagles, and McCarthy said Malik Davis would see more reps in this week’s prep sessions.

Davis has 23 carries for 103 yards and one touchdown in 10 games this season.

–Field Level Media

Dec 24, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA;  Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) looks to pass as Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick (7) chases during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Cowboys win, prevent Eagles from clinching NFC East

Brett Maher kicked a go-ahead, 48-yard field goal with 2:19 remaining to lift the host Dallas Cowboys to a 40-34 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday.

The Cowboys (11-4), who trailed 27-17 with nine minutes left in the third quarter, got the ball back one play after Maher’s field goal when Anthony Barr recovered Miles Sanders’ fumble on Philadelphia’s 21-yard line with 2:07 to go.

Maher’s 26-yarder — his fourth field goal in as many tries — made it 40-34 with 1:41 left. The Eagles turned the ball over on downs when quarterback Gardner Minshew’s pass on fourth-and-10 from the Cowboys’ 19-yard line fell incomplete in the end zone with 19 seconds remaining. Minshew started in place of Jalen Hurts, who missed the game with a sprained shoulder.

The Eagles (13-2) missed out on a chance to clinch the NFC East and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott went 27 of 35 for 347 yards with three touchdowns and an interception, while Ezekiel Elliott ran for 55 yards and a score on 16 carries. CeeDee Lamb had 10 receptions for 120 yards and two touchdowns for Dallas, which has won five of its past six games.

Minshew went 24-of-40 passing for 355 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, in addition to rushing for a touchdown. Sanders had 65 yards on 21 carries, while DeVonta Smith had eight receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns.

Leading 20-17 at halftime, the Eagles’ pushed their advantage to 27-17 on Minshew’s 14-yard scoring strike to Smith with 9:00 left in the third quarter. Dallas pulled to within 27-20 on Maher’s 44-yard field goal with 5:01 left in the quarter.

The Cowboys tied the game on Prescott’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Michael Gallup with 2:12 left in the third quarter after Dallas took over at Philadelphia’s 31-yard line following Minshew’s fumble.

Minshew capped the Eagles’ ensuing possession with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Smith for a 34-27 lead with 9:59 left in the game.

The Cowboys tied the game at 34 on Prescott’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Lamb.

The Eagles jumped out to an early 10-0 lead when Josh Sweat intercepted a Prescott pass and returned it 42 yards into the end zone with 9:18 left in the first quarter.

The Cowboys stormed back on Elliott’s 1-yard TD rush with 1:52 left in the quarter before taking a 14-10 lead on Prescott’s 36-yard scoring strike to Lamb with 11:34 left before halftime.

Minshew’s 1-yard sneak on fourth-and-goal gave the Eagles a 17-14 edge with 7:08 left in the half. Maher and Elliott traded field goals in the final two minutes of the half to give the Eagles a 20-17 lead.

–Field Level Media