Jake Ferguson, the Dallas Cowboys’ tight end, entered the 2024 NFL season with high expectations. After a breakout Pro Bowl year in 2023, where he racked up 761 yards and five touchdowns, Ferguson was poised to cement his place among the league’s elite tight ends. But the football gods had other plans, and what unfolded was a season that Ferguson himself described as “weird”—a campaign marked by injuries, setbacks, and a shocking lack of production that left Cowboys fans and analysts stunned.
A Season Derailed by Injury
Ferguson’s troubles began in Week 1, when he suffered a knee injury that would linger throughout the season. The injury sapped his explosiveness and limited his ability to perform at the level he had shown in 2023. To make matters worse, a concussion later in the year sidelined him, disrupting any chance of finding a rhythm in the Cowboys’ offense. The result was a steep drop-off in production: just 494 yards and, astonishingly, zero touchdowns—a far cry from the dynamic playmaker who had lit up defenses the previous year.
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Reflecting on the season, Ferguson didn’t shy away from the disappointment. “My knee hurt for sure, the concussion was weird, but I’ve said this before, if I’m out on the field, I should be able to give it my all,” he admitted. “I definitely wasn’t satisfied with how I played last year. I don’t think I’ve ever played a full season and not scored a touchdown.”
The lack of touchdowns was particularly jarring for Ferguson, nicknamed the “big biscuit” for his larger-than-life presence on the field. Determined to put 2024 behind him, he entered the offseason with a laser focus on redemption, honing in on his red-zone skills to ensure he wouldn’t go scoreless again.
A Quiet Offseason, A Loud Comeback
With his rookie contract nearing its end, Ferguson faces immense pressure to prove that 2024 was an anomaly. The tight end has kept a low profile this offseason, letting his work on the field do the talking. His efforts are already paying dividends. During Day 2 of the Cowboys’ minicamp, Ferguson and quarterback Dak Prescott rekindled their chemistry with a highlight-reel 22-yard seam route touchdown—a play that harked back to their successful connection over the past two years.
The touchdown was a sign that Ferguson is rediscovering his groove in offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s system. Fully healthy for the first time in over a year, the 26-year-old is poised to reclaim his role as a key weapon in Dallas’ passing game, which now features a talented group of playmakers.
Leading the Tight End Room
As the unquestioned leader of the Cowboys’ tight end room, Ferguson is setting the tone for younger players like Brevyn Spann-Ford and Luke Schoonmaker. His experience and work ethic have made him a mentor figure, but with his contract year looming, Ferguson knows he needs to deliver a bounce-back season for the ages—not just for his teammates, but for his future in the NFL.
“I came into this offseason really working on [scoring touchdowns], and just really tried to dial in on that and make sure I was lights out,” Ferguson said. His determination and early flashes of brilliance in minicamp suggest that the “big biscuit” is ready to rise again.
A Season to Prove Himself
The 2024 season may have been a “weird” crisis for Jake Ferguson, but it’s clear he’s using it as fuel for a comeback. With his health restored, his confidence returning, and a contract extension on the line, Ferguson is primed to shock the NFL in a different way in 2025—by returning to the Pro Bowl form that made him one of the league’s most promising young tight ends. For Cowboys fans, the hope is that the “big biscuit” will serve up a season to remember.