Cowboys tight end Princeton Fant will miss season after tearing knee ligaments in practice

OXNARD, Calif. (AP) — Dallas Cowboys tight end Princeton Fant is out for the season after sustaining a knee injury in training camp Monday.

Fant tore his ACL and partially tore his MCL, and he will undergo surgery in the coming weeks, head coach Brian Schottenheimer said Tuesday. Fant was hurt on a knee-on-knee hit to his left leg after being blocked backward into running back Israel Abanikanda during the Cowboys' first full pads practice.

Fant has appeared in 11 games over three seasons for the Cowboys, playing mostly on special teams, after being signed as an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee in 2023. He is the cousin of New Orleans Saints tight end Noah Fant.

The Cowboys sustained another injury in practice Tuesday when safety Alijah Clark hurt his ankle and had to leave practice early.

Clark landed hard on his right ankle while defending a deep throw for Marquez Valdes-Scantling during a team period. Clark struggled to put weight on his ankle while being helped off the field, but the second-year defensive back was able to gingerly walk back to the locker room after being examined by trainers.

Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Syracuse, Clark had 18 tackles and a forced fumble in 11 games playing mostly on special teams as a rookie.

It is the third injury at safety through the first week of training camp for the Cowboys. P.J. Locke returned to action Tuesday after missing time because of a hyperextended knee, while Jalen Thompson (hip flexor) is expected back soon.

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