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JAN 27 NEWNESS FOR DAK Early in Troy Aikman’s career, the then-young Dallas Cowboys QB authored a children’s book called “Things Change.”

All these years later … they still do.

It seems that Dak Prescott, the heir to Aikman’s throne, has a new “casually dating” girlfriend in Dallas native and LSU swimmer Jadyn Jannasch, according to the gossip site “Page Six.”

So that’s nice. If Dak’s happy, we’re happy.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys are examining the idea of another change in the QB’s life, as head coach Mike McCarthy offered an interesting answer when quizzed by CowboysSI.com on Thursday about the job security of his offensive coordinator.

“I don’t want to play this game today,” McCarthy said in answer to a CowboysSI.com question about Moore. “Kellen Moore, just like the rest of the coaches, will be evaluated.”

We’ll keep you posted on the coaching moves. And we’ll cover the Cowboys dating front with far less intensity.

JAN 26 NEW TACKLE RULE? The NFL competition committee will be looking into a particular tackling “style” that led to injuries last weekend in the playoffs.

According to The Washington Post, the committee will consider the “mechanics of the tackle” that resulted in Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard suffering a high ankle sprain and a broken leg in Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Meanwhile, the league will also examine a similar play in which Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes sprained his ankle in the playoff win over the Jags.

In the case of the Cowboys: San Francisco cornerback Jimmie Ward landed on Pollard’s leg while dragging him down from behind. … a legal play but maybe a nasty one that led to the free agent running back needing surgery.

Jacksonville linebacker Arden Key landed awkwardly on Mahomes in their game, causing the Kansas City quarterback to briefly exit Saturday’s game with a high ankle sprain … though Mahomes expects to play in the AFC Championship Game this Sunday against the Bengals.

JAN 25 CALLOWAY SIGNS The Cowboys are continuing to sign futures contracts with prospects as they assemble their 90-man roster for the 2023 season, and the list is now highlighted by another keeper from the practice squad, Antonio Callaway.

Callaway was a fourth-round pick of the Browns in 2018 and as a rookie caught 43 passes and five TDs before behavioral issues sidelined his career.

Also signed up by Dallas so far: receivers Dennis Houston (who started the 2022 season on the 53-man roster) and Dontario Drummond, offensive linemen Alex Taylor, Alec Lindstrom and Brock Hoffman, and defensive backs Juanyeh Thomas, Tyler Coyle and Sheldrick Redwine.

JAN 24 NINERS DE ARRESTED San Francisco 49ers defensive end Charles Omenihu followed up his team’s playoff win over the Cowboys on Sunday by being arrested on a charge of misdemeanor domestic violence on Monday.

The alleged incident with his girlfriend, the San Jose Police Department said, features the woman charging that Omenihu, a former Texas Longhorns standout. pushed her to the ground during an argument.

Officers said that they did not “observe any visible physical injuries,” though she did complain of a pain to her arm.

Omenihu posted bail and is no longer in custody, but he was served with an emergency protective restraining order.

“We are aware of the matter involving Charles Omenihu and are in the process of gathering further information,” said the 49ers, who play at the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in the NFC Championship Game.

JAN 23 SIGNINGS: The Cowboys are now free – unfortunately – to begin the assemblage of a 90-man roster via “futures” contracts.

The list so far features five players from the practice squad: Wideout Dontario Drummond, centers Brock Hoffman and Alec Lindstrom and DBs Sheldrick Redwine and Juanyeh Thomas.

Stay tuned here for more signings …

JAN 22 COWBOYS UP Dak Prescott has thrown a 3-yard TD pass to Dalton Schultz to give the Cowboys a 6-3 lead early in the second quarter here in Santa Clara …

But rather incredibly, the PAT was blocked.

So Brett Maher and the Cowboys are now 1 of 6 in PAT attempts in the postseason. Oh, and the reason the Niners have their three points?

A first-quarter Dak interception.

JAN 22 LAMAR’S NO Quarterback Lamar Jackson has turned down the Ravens’ offer of a six-year contract with $113 million guaranteed. One way to interpret the numbers?

The guarantees in the contract are less than half of the $230 million deal the Cleveland Browns gave Deshaun Watson last offseason. And they are also less than the contract Dak Prescott has with the Cowboys, which features $126 million guaranteed.

Jackson – the 2019 league MVP – has a solid argument that he wants to be paid like the best quarterbacks in the league. There are different ways to look at these numbers … and we don’t know the full value or structure of this offer.

But just in terms of guaranteed money? Watson’s deal set the bar. And Jackson – who will continue to be the subject of trade rumors until this is decided – has every reason to want to match it.

JAN 21 DUNGY DECISION Former NFL head coach Tony Dungy made headlines this week when he decided to respond to a statement from Rep. Sandra Feist that argued menstrual products should be available in all school bathrooms, the politician noting, “There are a lot of schools that are moving towards gender-neutral bathrooms.”

Dungy, who has been outspoken about LGBTQ movements in the past, responded.

“That’s nothing,” Dungy wrote on Twitter, sarcastically spreading a debunked myth. “Some school districts are putting litter boxes in the school bathrooms for the students who identify as cats. Very important to address every student’s needs.”

Despite the controversial nature of his comment – which he obviously concedes to as he’s deleted the tweet – a report from Sports Illustrated says Dungy will be on air today for NBC’s coverage of the NFL playoffs.

JAN 19 PETERS OUT The Dallas Cowboys continue to feel good about the Sunday availability of safety Jayron Kearse, but entering the Thursday workout here at The Star, tackle Jason Peters will once again not practice.

Kearse (knee) should be fine for this workout (maybe he’ll come away as “limited” and for Sunday’s playoff game at San Francisco. But Peters exited the win over Tampa on Monday due to a hip issue, and the smart bet is that Dallas will use the offensive line alignment that finished that game going forward …

So the 40-year-old Peters will sit, with rookie Tyler Smith kicking out to left tackle and Connor McGovern getting the start at left guard.

JAN 16 LAMAR JACKSON TRADE? The expiring contract of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is an issue … and the complication is exacerbated the knee injury that has seen him miss the last six games … including the 24-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

With the offseason underway, the Ravens are looking for answers on what to do with their franchise quarterback. The rumor mill on Twitter suggests that the Ravens will likely franchise tag Jackson and then trade him.

Are the Atlanta Falcons “at the front of the line?

Read more here …

JAN 15 STILL ALIVE! The New York Giants are on to the Divisional Round after beating the Minnesota Vikings 31-24 Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium. … and so – scheduling involved, of course – three NFC East teams are still alive.

With the result in Minny, the Giants now face the Philadelphia Eagles next week in the Divisional Round.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys are set to play Monday night against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to land the fourth and final spot in the next round. … and the winner of the MNF game will advance with a meeting with the Niners next week.

JAN 14 NFL WILD CARD SATURDAY And that, Dallas Cowboys, is a tough act to follow!

The beginning of the NFL playoffs kicked off on Saturday with a pair of comeback outcomes.

After the San Francisco 49ers came back from trailing at halftime to win by three scores (41-23 over Seattle), the Jacksonville Jaguars managed a 27-point comeback (third-largest in NFL history) to beat the Los Angeles Chargers at home.

The lopsided start in the first half came thanks to five Jaguars turnovers … including four Trevor Lawrence interceptions. But … the Chargers found a way to blow their four-touchdown lead to lose 31–30 in Jacksonville.

Lawrence rebounded by throwing three second-half touchdown passes to pace the comeback for Jacksonville.

Look familiar? Yes, this is the same Jags bunch that trailed Dallas by 17 points late in the regular season before storming back for a 40-34 OT win.

And of course the 49ers are the same bunch that beat Dallas last year in the first round of the playoffs.

The 49ers will host the highest-remaining NFC playoff team, while the Jaguars await their opponent based off of Sunday’s results. And the Cowboys play on Monday night, surely hoping for a win at Tampa Bay that isn’t quite so dramatic.

JAN 14 COWBOYS LEAD NFL “America’s Team” has done it again.

According to a Sunday Night Football report, the Dallas Cowboys dominated the NFL in terms of total home attendance with 841,192 total fans through nine games at AT&T Stadium this year.

Next highest total was the New York Giants with 688,266.

Obviously there are numerous factors in play here: Fan loyalty and passion … a winning team (12-5 overall and 8-1 at home) … the NFL’s third-largest stadium (behind only MetLife Stadium and Lambeau Field) – but a stadium that is itself a drawing card, even for fans of the other team.

But No. 1 is No. 1. … with Cowboys Nation hoping that all the feel-good travels to Tampa Bay for the Monday night playoff opener.

JAN 8: COWBOYS PLAYOFF FAVORITES The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who started their run to a division title with a Week 1 win at Dallas, now host the rematch in Wild Card Weekend … with the Cowboys opening as a 3-point favorite.

The Buccaneers clinched the NFC South a week ago, and the events of Week 18 – featuring Dallas’ awful 26-6 loss at Washington locks the 12-5 Cowboys into the fifth seed as the top Wild Card team.

Times and dates for the first round of the playoffs will be announced late Sunday, but the Bucs will be hosting Dallas at Raymond James Stadium next weekend.

And yes, CowboysSI.com will be there!

Said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones about the loss at Washington and the coming anticipation: “We get to suck on that all week. If that doesn’t make you get ready to play in six or seven days, nothing else will.”

JAN 8 HURTS VS. WEBB Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts will start Sunday’s regular-season finale against the New York Giants; no surprise there, as sore shoulder or not, the Eagles need to win to hold off the surging Cowboys.

And the Giants? It seems somebody explained something to fire-ball first-year head coach Brian Daboll, who’d previously talked about “playing to win” even though the Giants (like Philly and Dallas) are playoff-bound but have no reason to risk injury here.

So … New York will give the job to practice-squad quarterback Davis Webb.

The Eagles are 13-3 but have lost two straight and need to win or tie against the Giants to clinch the top seed in the NFC and a first-round bye. In the unlikely event the Eagles lose, the 12-4 Cowboys can jump up with a win at Washington today. they could also get the top seed if the Cowboys (12-4) lose to the Commanders and the 49ers (12-4) lose to the Cardinals.

Webb, who was a third-round draft pick of the Giants in 2017 but has never attempted a pass in a regular-season NFL game.

JAN 6 JERRY ON LEAGUE VOTE ON AFC TITLE GAME The NFL owners have voted to approve the proposed changes to the AFC playoffs, which are highlighted by the possibility of a neutral-site AFC Championship game, per reports from NFL Network Friday. …

As Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones predicted would happen a bit earlier in the day.

“We’re going to vote to make accommodation for our circumstances because of the concern and what we needed to adjust because of Damar Hamlin’s injuries and that will be done and should be finished by noon,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan.

Jones explained his view on how the league must balance the importance of home-field advantage with the circumstances involving fallen Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin.

“This is a critical time,” Jones said. “Home-field advantages that are earned by how your team has played over the year, these are all very valuable things – that have no use … right now. (They should not be) considered (and not) be confused (in compared to) sensitivity with the injuries of Hamlin at all.”

The altered AFC playoff plan comes in the wake of Hamlin suffering from cardiac arrest in the first quarter of Monday’s matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals, which resulted in the cancellation of the game.

Full details on the new playoff and AFC title game plan can be read here.

JAN 4 ‘NO CLUB’ Cowboys “Lion-backer” Micah Parsons has a nasty cut on his hand, as first reported by CowboysSI.som, and the laceration – along with what we know was quite a bit of swelling – caused him to have to play in last week’s win vs. the Titans with a wrap so massive that we all took to labeling it a “club.”

The Wednesday injury report is out now, and Micah isn’t on it … And he doesn’t expect the injury to limit him Sunday in Week 18 at the Commanders.

“We’re going to be full go,” Parsons said. “No club.”

JAN 4 WASHINGTON COMMANDER BENCH WENTZ One week after quarterback Carson Wentz replaced Taylor Heinicke as the team’s starter, it’s being reported Washington is reversing course.

While Heinicke is expected to be the starter, the same report says rookie Sam Howell will also get playing time, making his NFL debut in the final week of the regular season.

As of now, the team has yet to confirm. .. and alas, the report isn’t quite right.

Carson Wentz is getting benched (again) … even as coach Ron Rivera is saying he has “no regrets” about the fateful decision to start Wentz in last week’s playoff-hopes-killing loss to the Browns.

UPDATE: Howell is getting first-team reps right now in Washington’s workout …

And Howell will be the Sunday starter.

The 7-8-1 Commanders are probably wise to begin the experiment with the rookie Howell, as there is little else to be accomplished here against 12-4 Dallas, which is playoff-bound and still trying to win the NFC East.

JAN 3 NFL MOVE The on-field collapse of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin shook the sports world Monday night, as the 24-year-old went into cardiac arrest during the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium.

Hamlin remains in critical condition in the ICU at University of Cincinnati Medical Center. And on Tuesday, the Dallas Cowboys and all the NFL teams showed support for the second-year safety, as all Twitter profile pictures for the league and its teams were changed to a No. 3 jersey with the message “Pray for Damar.”

The game between the Bengals and Bills was temporarily suspended before being postponed altogether on Monday night. On Tuesday, the league revealed that the game will not be played this week and that there is no current timetable for action to resume.

JAN 3 NFL REVEALS PLAN The Week 17 matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals will not be played this week in the wake of the on-field collapse of Bills safety Damar Hamlin, the league announced Tuesday.

Here’s the full statement:

The NFL continues to be in regular contact with the medical team caring for Damar Hamlin, and also the Bills and Bengals organizations and the NFL Players Association.

After speaking with both teams and NFLPA leadership, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell informed the clubs today that the Bills-Bengals game will not be resumed this week.

The NFL has made no decision regarding the possible resumption of the game at a later date.

The league has not made any changes to the Week 18 regular-season schedule.

We will continue to provide additional information as it becomes available.

The Dallas Cowboys will therefore play as scheduled on Sunday afternoon at Washington. See below for more …

JAN 2 COWBOYS-COMMANDERS TIME REVEALED The Dallas Cowboys will play the Washington Commanders at 3:25 p.m. CT on Sunday, the NFL announced today.

The Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles (at home vs. the Giants) and San Francisco 49ers (at home vs. the Cardinals) will all play their respective games in the same 3:25 slot … so no team will have an advantage of knowledge regarding its playoff setup.

Here’s the breakdown of the Dallas scenarios, along with the likelihood at the Cowboys will open the playoffs at Tampa Bay.

Also, Sunday Night Football will be between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on NBC.

JAN 2 WELCOME BACK! “YIt might be a little premature and it might be a little optimistic, but the Dallas Cowboys have an injury-related plan for the playoffs.

It’s a “Welcome Back!” plan.

“We’ll be welcoming back three really good football players,” COO Stephen Jones said on Monday in a 105.3 The Fan visit, with a glance toward the postseason. “Leighton Vander Esch, certainly (Johnathan) Hankins, and then if we get (Tyler) Biadasz back … that will be a big plus for our group.”

Linebacker Vander Esch (neck/shoulder will sit out this week at Washington. The veteran run-stopper Hankins has a pec injury. And starting center Biadasz has a high-ankle sprain, with the Cowboys crossing their fingers as they shuffle the O-line for another week.

Said Jones on Biadasz: “I think after we get a full week with him and see how he’s responding to treatment … We just see what the week brings, but we certainly feel like it’s a realistic chance (the medical staff) could get him ready to play for the first round of the playoffs.”

DEC 28 ME TOO! Dez Bryant has moved on from football, to be a family man and a businessman, and he hasn’t played in the NFL since 2020.

But he’s sure having some fun with the idea of another “retired” Dallas Cowboys great trying to make a comeback.

According to the CowboysSI.com scoop, Hall of Famer Terrell Owens, 49, has been calling Jerry Jones’ office, asking for a tryout.

Bryant’s reaction?

“If T.O coming back… sign me up to a playoff team… seriously! LFG,” Bryant tweeted.

Bryant, 34, was a Pro Bowl force had 7,459 receiving yards and 73 touchdowns in eight seasons with the Cowboys. Like Owens, he keeps himself in fine shape, and … Well, these are fun ideas … but they are not the Cowboys’ ideas, if you get what we mean.

DEC 26 WHITE ON WHITE Because we know you care …

We can report that this is the week you see a “fresh” look with the Cowboys’ iconic uniforms, the white-based “Color Rush” uniform with navy trim …plus the white helmet with the new star …

And white facemasks!

This will all unveil itself in this Week 17 meeting at the Tennessee Titans in a Thursday Night Football matchup.

The newness is subtle. But the facemasks should pop!

DEC 24 SHUT UP AND PLAY This week, Cowboys leader Jayron Kearse essentially urged his locker room to shut up and play.

Said Kearse in advance of Saturday’s Eagles visit: “We’ve talked a lot. At this point, we should not need to talk any more. We should be about business. We should be about action. The film should speak. I really don’t think there’s much more talking that needs to be done other than getting the job done.”

So far, Kearse is living up to that, with two takeaways that are largely responsible for keeping Dallas in this game. His second one …

Led to a TD from Michael Gallup, another guy who let’s his play – or in this case, his toes – do his talking for him.

Dallas is tied 27-all with the Eagles entering the fourth here at AT&T Stadium.

DEC 21 The Cowboys and Eagles injury reports are in for Wednesday. With Micah Parsons and Jalen Hurts again the DNP highlights.

No matter who plays on Saturday, the Cowboys vow to be ready.

“I think everybody in the locker room is looking forward to this rematch,” said Dak Prescott, adding, “Understanding that the (Eagles) are playing their asses off, having a hell of a season. …

“You just want to get another shot, make sure you put your best foot forward.”

DEC 21 MICAH OUT AGAIN Micah Parsons will show up on the Wednesday practice/injury report as he did on Tuesday, with it listing the “Lion-backer” as a DNP (illness).

“Micah Parsons will not be with us today … It’s going around,” coach Mike McCarthy said of an illness bug.

The Cowboys play host to the Eagles on Christmas Eve day.

DEC 20 Malik Jefferson, waived from the Cowboys practice squad last week, has been re-signed to the practice squad, the team says.

Jefferson, 26-year-old former Texas Longhorn, can offer depth in the building in the wake of the short-term injury to Leighton Vander Esch.

DEC 20 DALLAS AT DALLAS The Eagles announced on Tuesday that Dallas Goedert has been activated from IR. … Just in time to play against his hated namesake, the Dallas Cowboys.

Goedert has been out since Week 10 due to a shoulder injury, but comes back aboard for the 13-1 Eagles with his 544 yards and three touchdowns on 43 catches through nine games a top-notch complement to receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

Philly will likely be without QB Jalen Hurts (shoulder) for Saturday’s game at 10-4 Dallas.

DEC 18 KELVIN BENCHED The Cowboys suddenly have defensive problems.

For one, they have pulled starting corner Kelvin Joseph after he gave up two consecutive touchdown catches allowed. … so Nahshon Wright has entered game.

Meanwhile, safety Donovan Wilson is hurt, as is Leighton Vander Esch.

Add it all up? Dallas was up 27-10, but Trevor Lawrence, taking advantage in part of some Dak Prescott sloppiness, has thrown three TD passes …and the Jags are up 31-27 with 10 minutes remaining.

DEC 18 LVE HURT Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch has been escorted to the locker room in Jacksonville and is now ruled OUT as it regards any chance to return to the game against the Jags.

Amid speculation about a possible concussion, the Cowboys are calling it a neck injury.

Micah Parsons has a sack and Ezekiel Elliott has a TD following a takeaway and the Cowboys are up 21-10 in the third as a win clinches a playoff berth.

DEC 18 COACH TO HOSPITAL Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees, 73, has been carted off the field in New Orleans during pregame warmups today after a Saints player accidentally collided with him.

The Falcons say Pees – who stayed on the ground for quite some time after the collision – is “alert and responsive” as he is being transported to a local hospital for medical testing.

DEC 14 ‘STAND BY’ Jerry Jones wants it.

The Cowboys owner was asked by the DFW media late Wednesday afternoon about the ideal timetable of a signing of Odell Beckham Jr.

“Sooner rather than later,” he said.

How soon?

“I don’t want to talk about that but stand by,” Jones said. But stand by. Stand by.”

So … we will.

Jones, even as the Cowboys just signed another vet wideout in T.Y. Hilton, was asked on Tuesday by 105.3 The Fan if the fact OBJ can’t play today” (due to his allegedly “ticking time bomb” knee) rules out a deal.

“I wouldn’t go that far if you include the playoffs,” Jones said. “We wouldn’t have been interested in Odell had he not had the talent. I think it’s fair to say that he’s an outstanding receiver … he’s as you well know, not ready to play. He’s a receiver that I think would fit any time. There’s going to be continued interest in Odell.”

Also important (click above): The parties talked contract parameters on Monday.

So, yeah … stay tuned.

DEC 14 TWO KEY MOVES The Cowboys have placed Johnathan Hankins (pec strain) and Terence Steele (torn ACL and MCL) on injured reserve.

Steele is out for season. Hankins optimistically has chance to be activated during playoffs.

DEC 14 OBJ PATIENT? Is Odell Beckham Jr. a “prize free agent” … for the spring of 2023.

The Dallas Cowboys still have the idea of signing OBJ now, with the hope that he could contribute in the NFL Playoffs – and maybe with a contract offer that would secure his services in future years as well, especially as his “ticking time bomb” knee is well in his past.

Indeed, it seems the Cowboys and Beckham’s camp talked on Monday about the parameters of a contract in Dallas.playing anywhere this season becomes smaller.

But ESPN is now reporting that “several” NFL teams believe the 30-year-old receiver is now most likely to wait until the offseason to do his deal.

“Executives whose teams have done their homework on Beckham expect him to wait because, as one put it, ‘he’ll be the prize’ of the free agent receiver class,” ESPN writes. “Beckham isn’t expected to be ready to play football until the playoffs, and joining a new team and offense for a playoff run comes with injury risk.”

The Cowboys aware of all this and just fortified their receivers room with the signing of veteran T.Y. Hilton.

Can there be team rewards with tossing the three-time Pro Bowler OBJ onto the field in the playoffs? Maybe. But OBJ’s financial reward might only come when he proves his knee to be healthy … making him a “prize” next March.

DEC 13 BEAS TO BILLS Could the Buffalo Bills be in the process of setting up another receiver reunion? A couple of liked tweets and reported airport sightings has the internet rumor mill churning about former Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley making his return to Orchard Park.

And now it’s on, NFL Network reporting that Beasley is signing with Buffalo.

WIVB-TV reported Monday night on Twitter that Beasley is back in Buffalo, with their reporter citing a liked tweet by Beasley, which claims that Beasley was on a flight from Baltimore to Buffalo.

Beasley, 33, and a Little Elm native, came into the NFL from SMU with the Cowboys before moving to Buffalo. He retired from the NFL just two games into his stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back at the beginning of October.

In three seasons with the Bills (2019-21), the often outspoken “Beas” recorded 2,348 yards and 11 touchdowns on 231 catches, becoming one of Josh Allen’s favorite targets.

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