Dallas Cowboys TE Jason Witten Suffers Spleen Injury

The injury bug is out in full force at Dallas Cowboys training camp, but the latest player to go down might be the biggest blow thus far.

Tight end Jason Witten suffered an injured spleen in Monday’s game against Oakland. The extent of the injury is still being determined but Witten won’t play again this pre-season and his availability for the Cowboys Sept. 5 regular season opener against the Giants is in doubt.

According to team sources, surgery has been discussed, but it's not a likely option at this point.

The injury occurred in the first quarter when Witten caught a pass from Tony Romo for a two-yard loss and was hammered by Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain.

Witten immediately popped up and went to the sideline signaling an end to his day, but he stated after the game that he was fine. However, it was learned Wednesday that all was not fine.

The veteran tight-end is entering his 10^th season in the league, having played in 143 games. He’s missed only one game in his career, and that came during his rookie season in 2003 when he suffered a broken jaw.

With Witten sidelined for the foreseeable future the Cowboys will need to address the depth at the position. Dallas was already on the lookout for a tight end with John Phillips missing last week with an ankle injury. Rookies James Hanna and Andrew Szczerba are the only two tight ends currently available on the roster.