When Kenny Clark went down late in the third quarter against the Washington Commanders, a hush fell over AT&T Stadium. The Dallas Cowboys defensive front had been dominant all afternoon — until their newest anchor, the former Packers Pro Bowler, stayed down on one knee, clutching his side.
For a few tense moments, you could feel 90,000 fans hold their breath. Then came the cart. Then came the worry.
By Monday morning, the internet had already exploded with speculation. “Torn something.” “Core injury.” “Out for weeks.” Even Clark’s sideline expression — calm but grim — fueled anxiety across Cowboys Nation.
Clark’s resilience has been part of his reputation since his UCLA days. He’s played through sprained ankles, rib bruises, and a groin injury without missing significant time. This latest scare, he said, was “just football.”
“Sometimes you take a hit the wrong way,” he told reporters Tuesday. “But I’m blessed. Nothing serious. Just part of the grind.”
The Cowboys medical staff confirmed no structural damage — just minor abdominal soreness. He’s expected to practice midweek in a limited capacity before being cleared fully for next Sunday’s game against the Broncos.
But just 24 hours later, Clark himself decided to end the guessing game.
“I’m good, y’all,” he said in a short but decisive post on X (formerly Twitter). “Just got the wind knocked out of me and a little soreness. I’ll be ready to go.”
Those 21 words spread like wildfire. Cowboys fans flooded the replies with relief, heart emojis, and gifs of exhalations. “Man, I thought we lost another one,” one fan wrote. “Protect this man at all costs.”
It wasn’t just fans who breathed easier — the Cowboys’ coaching staff did, too.
