When the Dallas Cowboys decided to give tight end Jake Ferguson a 4-year, $50 million contract extension in July, they did so expecting to get someone playing at a level which warranted being one of the NFL’s highest paid players at his position.
Instead, the Cowboys found themselves with a player in Ferguson who seems to be missing the clutch gene. He also just had one of the worst games of his career when his team needed him the most in a 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 14.
Ferguson cost Team 14 points in First Half
First, Lions linebacker Jack Campbell punched the ball out of Ferguson’s hands to set up a Detroit touchdown. Then, later in the half, Ferguson was called for a hands to the face penalty that cost the Cowboys’ what would have been 1st and goal from the Lions 2-yard-line — essentially a 50-yard penalty.
That drive, Dallas settled for a field goal.
In the fourth quarter, the Cowboys were forced to settle for another field goal after Ferguson was flagged for a questionable offensive pass interference call running a route into the end zone.
It was the kind of game nightmares are made of for NFL tight ends.
“Brutal Jake Ferguson game again,” NFL draft expert Connor Livesay wrote on X. “Just happening way too often.”
Ferguson’s latest, worst outing also continued a troubling trend of coughing up the ball.
“Jake Ferguson didn’t have a fumble in his first 35 career games,” 105.3-FM The Fan’s Bobby Belt wrote on his official X account. “That’s his 7th fumble in his last 25 games.”
“Jake Ferguson is awful after the catch,” Cowboys Sleeper HQ wrote on its official X account.
Prescott Defends Ferguson After Penalty
One very important person came to Ferguson’s defense after his rough night in Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott — arguably the only person whose opinion really matters when it comes to the tight end.
Prescott took particular exception to what he thought was the bogus OPI call on Ferguson in the fourth quarter.
“Do I get fined for talking about this?” Prescott asked after the loss to the Lions. “I’m sorry, that was bad. I got to look at the film, maybe I can see it from their vantage point. I know I talked to the ref after, he said (Ferguson) aggressively pulled through. I’ve never seen a call like that.”
Prescott ended up being about the only one sticking up for Ferguson, who is on pace to have the best statistical year of his career with 75 receptions for 554 yards and 7 touchdowns through 13 games.
Ferguson also has 7 fumbles in the last 2 seasons.
“Ferguson has more fumbles than 50-yard games the last few years,” ESPN’s Peter Schrager said on “Get Up” on Friday, December 5. “That’s just not going to cut it.”
“Jake Ferguson and Dalton Schultz gotta be the 2 worst TEs I’ve ever seen get contract extensions,” Hammy Takes wrote on X.
“Jake Ferguson is killing this team,” Locked on Cowboys podcast host Marcus Mosher wrote on his official X account.
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