The Dallas Cowboys lost one of their most dangerous return threats before they had run an offensive snap against the Green Bay Packers. KaVontae Turpin was hurt on the opening kickoff Sunday night and was listed as questionable to return.
The injury landed immediately in the spot where Turpin does his most damage. He is the Cowboys' primary return specialist, and the loss matters fast because the game had barely started when he was being walked to the locker room.
Different sideline reports did not settle the picture. One called it a hip injury, while another described it as a rib injury, but both pointed to the same outcome: Turpin was in clear discomfort and his availability for the rest of the night was uncertain. Nick Harris also noted that Caleb Downs is the backup punt returner and Tyler Goodson is the backup kick returner, the next men up if the Cowboys need them.
Turpin's absence would be a real hit because he has become one of the most productive return men in football. He led the NFL in kickoff return yards in 2024, earned All-Pro honors for the first time that season and is a two-time Pro Bowler heading into his fifth season with the Cowboys. The team also has a fresh reason to watch his status closely after his three-year, $13.5 million extension in March 2025 and his July 2025 arrest on drug and weapons charges in Texas.
For now, the immediate question is not whether the Cowboys can replace him for one play. It is whether they can keep the game from turning without the weapon that set their return unit apart before the night was even underway.
