Andrew Whitworth Denies Saying Cowboys Reached Out After Tyron Smith Injury

Retired offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth denied saying the Dallas Cowboys reached out to him after Tyron Smith suffered a hamstring injury:

Whitworth mentioned the Cowboys during Amazon's Thursday Night Football broadcast when asked by Kaylee Hartung whether his phone has been ringing with people trying to get him to unretire.

“I mean, obviously, there’s been some things with the Cowboys and losing Tyron Smith," Whitworth said. "It’s just an awful deal. Such a great player, and a guy I’ve always loved watching play. It’s been a busy day of answering calls. The problem is they’re calling and texting the wrong person. They need to be texting and calling Melissa Whitworth and the kids, because they have final approval on whether I’m ever going to play football again.”

This seems to be a case of misinterpretation—or perhaps Whitworth not explaining himself clearly. Looking at the quote, it's easy to see how it could be interpreted as Whitworth saying the Cowboys reached out to bring him out of retirement.

As it stands, it does not appear likely the 40-year-old will be picking up the shoulder pads anytime soon. Whitworth is in his first season in the broadcast booth with Amazon, in a job that should be far less physically strenuous than his previous 16 seasons banging bodies with opposing defensive linemen.

It seems likely the Cowboys will explore the open market looking for a replacement for Smith, who is expected to be out of the lineup until at least December after tearing his hamstring.

Two-time Pro Bowler Eric Fisher is the most notable tackle remaining in free agency.