DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys are operating on a short week as they finish up a 12-day span that includes three games, but they will do so as many on the team are facing some type of illness.
The bug has been making its rounds in the building for weeks now as Tony Pollard fought through it in October and both Quinton Bohanna and Bryan Anger fell victim to it before the eventual win over the Vikings. Bohanna was made inactive due to the bug, according to the Cowboys.
“We do have a number of guys who are sick who won’t be here today," coach Mike McCarthy said during Tuesday's press conference. He also added most of the sickness is being spread among the team's defensive line players.
The Cowboys play the New York Giants at home on Thanksgiving Day at 3:30. Dallas beat New York earlier in the season 23-16 on Sept. 26.
McCarthy said the team is taking added precautions with some players choosing to wear masks to help prevent the spread.
“We had a number of people wear masks today," McCarthy said. "A lot of what we went through in the pandemic served us well in these types of challenges.”
Several players were absent from the Cowboys' walkthrough on Monday, including Tarell Basham, Dante Fowler, Johnathan Hankins and Kelvin Joseph, who left Sunday's game because of his illness.
McCarthy also said it's unknown what the impact of Thursday's game will ultimately be, but it's something to watch for with a Dallas team riding high from Sunday's 40-3 win against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Cowboys currently have a 7-3 record, which is tied with the Giants for third-best in the NFC.