Could ex-Texas football QB Garrett Gilbert start for Dallas Cowboys?

A chance exists in a very realistic sense that former Texas football quarterback Garrett Gilbert gets the start for the Dallas Cowboys this weekend.

There is a reality that is really hard to believe facing the Dallas Cowboys for this weekend. After undergoing a plethora of injuries at the quarterback position, the Cowboys could be in a place where they start the former Texas football and SMU Mustangs quarterback Garrett Gilbert. The former elite five-star recruit and thought to be replacement of Colt McCoy is still chugging along in the NFL.

According to a report from ESPN, “opportunity awaits” either Gilbert or the former Central Michigan Chippewas signal caller Cooper Rush as to who could be the Cowboys starting quarterback this week. Rush was brought back to the Cowboys active roster recently, and Gilbert was signed a few weeks back to the practice squad.

Given the plethora of injuries to the Cowboys quarterback room, head coach Mike McCarthy was put in a really difficult spot. Now he likely has to decide between Gilbert and Rush as to who he will put on the field this weekend for the Cowboys, as they take on the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers out of the AFC North.

The Cowboys come into this showdown with the Steelers with a record of just 2-6. But somehow they are still in contention to win the NFC East. That just goes to show how bad the NFC East has been so far this season.

Nonetheless, it is worth watching to see how Gilbert does for the Cowboys if he does in fact get the start this weekend. Gilbert still has not played in a single game yet this season. The last snaps he played in meaningful NFL game action was with the Cleveland Browns in different spots last season.

In his NFL career thus far, Gilbert has completed just two of six passing attempts for 40 yards and no touchdowns/no interceptions. Just one drive could be enough to give Gilbert more passing stats than he had in his previous six appearances in NFL regular season games combined.

Throughout his college career, Gilbert split time between Texas and SMU. He registered 9,761 passing yards, 49 passing touchdowns, 45 interceptions, more than 1,000 rushing yards, and 20 rushing touchdowns.

Gilbert is in this position in the first place thanks to the injuries from veteran quarterbacks Dak Prescott and Andy Dalton. Maybe this could be his first real shot to get a start in the NFL roughly  a decade after his run with the Longhorns ended.