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Cowboys Sign Tyler Smith to Four-Year Extension, Making Him NFL’s Highest-Paid Interior Lineman

The Dallas Cowboys have secured a cornerstone for their offensive line, agreeing to a massive four-year, $96 million contract extension with Pro Bowl left guard Tyler Smith. The deal includes $81.2 million in guaranteed money, making Smith the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history.

Smith’s journey with the Cowboys began when he was drafted in the first round (No. 24 overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Tulsa. Initially projected to play guard, he filled in as a rookie left tackle after injuries sidelined All-Pro Tyron Smith. By 2023, with Tyron healthy, the younger Smith moved inside and quickly emerged as one of the league’s best guards, earning second-team All-Pro honors in back-to-back seasons (2023 and 2024) and securing a Pro Bowl nod.

This season marks the fourth year of his rookie deal, valued at $13.4 million. The Cowboys had already exercised his $21.2 million fifth-year option for 2026 but chose to lock him up long-term instead of risking another offseason of negotiations.

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The timing of the extension carries extra weight. Dallas entered the year under the cloud of failing to reach a deal with All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons, sparking speculation about the team’s ability to retain its top stars. Tyler Smith’s extension sends a strong message: the Cowboys intend to keep their offensive core intact for years to come.

Prior to Smith’s deal, Kansas City Chiefs Pro Bowler Trey Smith held the title of highest-paid guard after signing a four-year, $92 million contract in July. Now, Tyler Smith surpasses him, resetting the market for interior linemen.

With this extension, the Cowboys have not only secured the leader of their offensive line but also made a long-term investment in protecting Dak Prescott and building a championship-caliber roster.

The NFL Officially Fines the Chiefs for Violating Concussion Protocol, Leading to a Situation Where a Wide Receiver’s Career Could Be in Jeopardy
BREAKING: The Kansas City Chiefs have just been HIT with massive fines by the NFL after deliberately ignoring mandatory concussion protocol on star wide receiver Rashee Rice, and the consequences could end his career before age 25. It all went down in Week 14 against the Houston Texans. Late in the third quarter, Texans safety Jalen Pitre delivered a brutal (but legal) hit that sent Rashee Rice crashing to the turf. His body went limp, arms showed the classic “fencing posture” response linked to head trauma, and he immediately grabbed his helmet in pain. Any normal team would have rushed him straight to the blue medical tent. The Chiefs? They did NOTHING. No sideline evaluation. No concussion protocol activated. No explanation. Now the league has spoken: Kansas City has been found GUILTY of violating player safety rules and has been slapped with heavy fines just days after Mike Florio (Pro Football Talk) first exposed the incident. Sources say the penalties could climb into the hundreds of thousands, with potential loss of draft picks still on the table. Worse yet – independent neurologists are now warning that if Rice suffered an undetected concussion and was allowed back on the field, the long-term brain damage could be irreversible. We’re talking CTE risk, memory loss, and a very real chance his NFL career is already over at just 24 years old. This isn’t the league’s first rodeo: The New York Giants were fined $200K + Brian Daboll $100K just for peeking into the tent and yelling at doctors The Chiefs’ violation is being called “far more egregious” Rashee Rice has gone silent on social media and is reportedly undergoing extensive follow-up testing. Insider reports claim there’s a growing chance he misses the rest of the 2025 season – or worse. With Kansas City clinging to an 11% playoff chance and now drowning in this player-safety scandal, the reigning champs have officially become the NFL’s biggest villain of 2025. Was protecting a win that night worth potentially destroying a young star’s future? Drop your take below – no holding back.