Jaylon Smith: Today was a remarkable day

Jaylon Smith referred to himself in the first person in discussing his Dallas Cowboys debut.

Smith returned to the football field for the first time in game action in almost 19 months on Saturday, a night highlighted with his first tackle in 596 days.

“I’m Jaylon Smith. I suffered an ACL/ LCL injury,” Smith said. “Currently recovering from drop foot, but I’m here and I’m happy to be a part of the Dallas Cowboys. Today was a remarkable day.”

Smith played only 12 snaps against the Indianapolis Colts, but delivered on a third-down stop. He tackled tight end Jack Doyle short of the first-down marker.

Smith did his signature “swipe” after the play. It forced a second straight three-and-out to open the game for the Cowboys’ defense.

“I was just excited,” Smith’s brother, Cowboys running back Rod, said. “I’ve been seeing him make plays in camp, so like I said, just to go out there and see him get a taste of his first NFL game, he looks like he belongs. It’s nothing new. I’ve been seeing it all my life.”

Jaylon Smith hadn’t registered a tackle in a game in 596 days. He was credited with one tackle in Notre Dame’s bowl game Jan. 1, 2016, the same day he sustained the knee injury.

Smith tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee. Damage to the peroneal nerve was more problematic.

Some teams were so concerned Smith may never see the field again that they took him off their draft boards entirely. But the Cowboys felt Smith was a top talent even though he’d miss his rookie season, and used an early-second round pick in the 2016 draft to get him.

The Cowboys felt comfortable enough that Smith would eventually recover, partly because their team physician, Dr. Daniel Cooper, did the surgery. Cooper gave a timeline of 9-15 months for the nerve to fully recover.

Smith has worked diligently in his rehab to return to game action, and his debut certainly had good vibes for everyone within the organization.

“I was glad to see him be in on that tackle,” owner Jerry Jones said. “That was good for him there, too. It’s exciting.”

Smith always believed that moment would come.

“From the start, it’s been a long journey,” Smith said. “My clear-eyed view, focused vision, determined belief, earned dreams, it’s got me here today. It’s something where I really appreciate the Joneses and everybody in the Cowboys organization for believing in me. It’s a great feeling.”

This story was originally published August 19, 2017 at 11:29 PM with the headline "Jaylon Smith: Today was a remarkable day."