Two Dallas Cowboys stars taken off field in agony after painful NFL Thanksgiving injuries

The Dallas Cowboys lost another two players to injury on Thanksgiving as Juanyeh Thomas and Josh Butler left the field in the first half against the New York Giants.

Thomas suffered an injury to his right knee during a kick return, and initially got back to his feet before dropping to the turf. The 24-year-old safety was seen screaming in agony and began slamming the turf before a cart came onto the field at AT&T Stadium to transport him to the locker room

Just before halftime, cornerback Josh Butler had to be helped off the field by trainers as he went to the locker room for evaluation. Butler suffered a lower body injury, with fans left worried as his issue didn't appear to stem from any contact with an opposition player.

It was two huge blows for the Cowboys, who have seen their season dominated by injury issues as quarterback Dak Prescott has already been ruled out for the remainder of the year. It was also a tough one to take for Thomas and Butler, with both enjoying standout performances in Week 12 against the Washington Commanders.

Both Thomas and Butler are exceptional role models when it comes to the NFL, with each player overcoming major hurdles before making a 53-man roster. Thomas went undrafted in 2022 and spent a year on the practice squad before getting his big break last season.

Thomas was homeless at the age of four after his father returned from serving in Iraq and set fire to his family home. His mother, Stephanie Thomas, raised Juanyeh and his four siblings inside their car after the incident, and moved around for several years before re-establishing a home.

Throughout all the movement, Thomas was still able to play football and picked it up at the age of five. Thomas was an elite athlete, and after joining Walton High School, he set a national high school record with interceptions returned for touchdowns in five consecutive games in his sophomore year.

He committed to play for Georgia Tech as a three-star recruit, and has continued to treat every game as his last. Due to the current position the Cowboys find themselves in, some fans have considered whether the team is tanking, but that's not an option according to Thomas.

"For all the fans saying we should tank, they need to understand that, for a lot of guys in this locker room, our life is on the line," Thomas said after beating the Commanders. The same vision is shared by Butler, who has also beaten the odds to make his way onto an NFL roster.

Butler redshirted his first season at Michigan State, but quickly became a key member of the team heading into his senior year. However, Butler lost both of his parents during his time at Michigan State, and went viral for walking onto the field with his two dogs on senior night.

The cornerback went undrafted in 2020, and played for the Conquers of the developmental Spring League before agreeing to terms with the Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League on March 22, 2023. Butler was signed to the Cowboys practice squad on July 25, 2023, and was only elevated to the active roster on Nov. 18 this year.

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