ARLINGTON, Texas — Marist Liufau fractured his forearm in the first quarter of the Dallas Cowboys‘ 27-24 preseason loss to the New Orleans Saints on Friday and could have surgery as early as Monday, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said. Liufau is expected to miss some weeks.
With 3:56 left in the first quarter, Liufau was hurt on an assisted tackle with rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham that held Saints running back Kendre Miller to 2 yards at the Dallas 12. He did not return, and the play was the only tackle credited to him at AT&T Stadium.
Schottenheimer said Liufau will be back.
“Losing Marist as a football player is tough,” Schottenheimer said. “Unfortunately, it’s part of the business. You guys all know him and the way he’ll attack his rehab. We’ll get surgery done as soon as we can and next man up.”
“He was a critical, critical part of not just two or three special teams,” Schottenheimer continued. “Really, all four. He’s a four-core guy that you just rely on. He plays the game with violence. We have some other guys in that locker room that do that as well.”
Marist Liufau’s Special Teams Workload In 2025
Last season, Liufau played 361 snaps on special teams, 75% of the Cowboys’ total. He played 169 special teams snaps as a rookie, 35% of the total. His defensive snaps went the other way, from 521 in 2024 to 202 last season.
Dallas drafted Liufau in the third round in 2024, 87th overall out of Notre Dame. Across two seasons he has 80 tackles, 2.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and three pass breakups in 34 games with 14 starts. He has not missed a game since the Cowboys drafted him.
As a rookie, Liufau started nine games and had 50 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. Last season he started five and had 30 tackles, 17 of them solo, with 1.0 sack and one forced fumble.
Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker announced the move from inside linebacker to outside linebacker at the scouting combine in February, and Liufau spent camp learning the position. Dallas is running a 3-4 base under Parker. Liufau is in the third year of the contract he signed as a rookie.
Dallas Cowboys Roster Deadline And Injured Reserve Rules
Schottenheimer said other players have to step up with Liufau out for a while.
“We’ll look at it,” Schottenheimer explained. “It sounds like it’s going to be surgical. So you’re talking about some weeks, but I don’t want to put a time frame on it right now.”
Rosters have to be at 53 players by 5 p.m. CT Sunday, which leaves Dallas 37 spots to clear off the 90-man roster. Teams may place up to two players on injured reserve at the reduction with a designation to return, and those players must miss at least the first four games of the regular season. A player given the designation Sunday would be eligible to come back in Week 5. Waiver claims are due at noon CT Monday.
Von Miller and DeMarvion Overshown were among the Cowboys who did not play Friday. Barham started at linebacker and finished with 2 tackles, both assisted. Dallas drafted Barham in the third round in 2026, 92nd overall out of Michigan. The Cowboys finished the preseason 2-1.
Dallas opens the regular season at the New York Giants on Sept. 13. Kickoff is 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC.
