GLENDALE, Ariz. — Jonathan Mingo played seven special teams snaps in the Dallas Cowboys‘ 34-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals, 30% of the team’s total on that unit. He fair caught the only punt the Cardinals kicked in the first half.
He has not returned one yet this preseason.
“I caught punts in college. So all the punts I caught this year, they’ve been fair catches so far in the preseason,” Mingo said. “So I haven’t had the opportunity to show I can do a punt return, but I’ve been playing other special teams too.”
Arizona punted twice all night. The second went into the end zone for a touchback in the fourth quarter, which left the first-half fair catch as Mingo’s only chance at a return.
Mingo also played coverage units for Dallas last season, which is the same work he is doing now.
Only one Dallas receiver played more special teams snaps than Mingo on Saturday. Camden Brown played eight and was credited with an assisted tackle on the second-half kickoff.
Mingo has 61 receptions and 610 receiving yards across 38 games in three NFL seasons. He is on the final year of the four-year, $8.86 million rookie contract he signed with Carolina in June 2023.
Ryan Flournoy Is Who Jonathan Mingo Talks To
Ryan Flournoy caught 40 passes for 475 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games last season with four starts, and carried four times for 25 yards. He was among the 29 players Dallas held out in Glendale.
Flournoy is who Mingo talks to.
“Got to be patient. I learned a lot of patience from Flo, seeing everything he went through,” Mingo said. “So I just try to be patient and talk to Flo a lot. He was patient, worked his way, got his opportunity, took advantage of it. So I try to talk to Flo to keep me patient myself.”
Mingo said everybody’s role is different and his job is to keep showing the coaches he can be counted on.
“I feel good. You got to stay patient. Everybody’s role is not the same, but you try and keep putting good days on top of each other,” Mingo explained. “Keep trying to show the coaches I’m a reliable target.”
A Full Camp Without An Injury
Last year Mingo did not get through August healthy. He went on injured reserve designated for return on Aug. 26 and was not activated until Oct. 21. He appeared in six games and caught one pass, a 25-yarder, on five targets.
Not being too high and not being too low is how he has gone about this one.
“Really, this training camp has been trying to stay a day, so I’ve been feeling healthy this training camp. So we’re trying to take advantage of it,” Mingo said. “So we’re going out there, not being too high, not being too low. So just trying to put good days on top of each other and just staying patient on the work to come.”
Against Arizona he caught two of three targets for 62 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown from Joe Milton III in the first quarter. He played 18 offensive snaps, 31% of the total.
The touchdown came one snap after Arizona safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson was flagged 15 yards for unnecessary roughness on a hit on tight end Zack Kuntz, a penalty that moved Dallas from its own 32 to its own 47.
The route he ran for that touchdown was one he had run before.
“It was kind of the same one I had versus Ravens last year, I got hurt on,” Mingo said.
CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, KaVontae Turpin, and Flournoy all sat Saturday. Turpin was a second-team All-Pro return specialist last season and returned kicks and punts for Dallas.
He Does Not Look At Any Of It
Mingo said he worries about practice.
“No, I don’t be on social media. I block all that out. I just try to stay in the present,” Mingo said. “Social media, they don’t do no good. So I just worry about practice.”
The regular season gets the same treatment.
“I don’t try to think about it. I just try to stay focused,” Mingo said. “I can’t really just think about stuff. I just try to stay in the present.”
Dallas cuts to 53 players after Friday’s preseason finale. The Cowboys host the New Orleans Saints at 7 p.m. CT at AT&T Stadium, and the game airs on CBS 11 and ESPN.
