ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Dallas Cowboys left guard Tyler Smith is set to make his season debut against Tampa Bay on Thursday night after the three-time Pro Bowler was activated coming off left thumb surgery just before the opener.
Smith missed the minimum of four games after going on injured reserve. He sustained ligament damage in his thumb during training camp and tried to play through it. The decision on surgery came the week of Dallas' season-opening 28-20 loss to the New York Giants.
The 25-year-old Smith had been listed as questionable after not getting a chance to participate in a full practice during a short week.
The four games missed are already a career high for Smith, a first-round draft pick in 2022. He played left tackle his entire rookie year after perennial Pro Bowler Tyron Smith was injured in training camp. Smith missed a total of five games over his first four seasons.
The return of Smith puts the entire projected starting lineup on the field together after T.J. Bass filled in for Smith, who is the second-most tenured lineman for Dallas behind right tackle Terence Steele.
The Cowboys waived running back Emari Demercado to make room for Smith on the 53-man roster. Dallas (2-2) also promoted cornerback Reddy Steward and safety Juanyeh Thomas from the practice squad for the meeting with the Bucs.
Steward and Thomas also were brought up from the practice squad for last weekend's 34-30 victory over Houston.
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FILE - Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyler Smith (73) warms up before an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday flatly refused to comment on a new report alleging that U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle engaged in improper and possibly illegal conduct before taking up her post.
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance said “I don't love” the idea of a U.S. official asking another person to pay off debts in exchange for access to other government officials, but declined to comment further until he knew all the details.
“Of course, I don’t like anybody selling access to another government official, certainly a high-level government official,” Vance told reporters in Washington later Thursday. “I assume you’re talking about a specific case, and I can’t say with confidence that the case you’re talking about is actually reflective of the way you’re describing it.”
During his trip to Greece, Rubio told reporters that he would not discuss the allegations contained in a Wall Street Journal story that said Guilfoyle had asked a donor and supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump to pay a $100,000 credit card bill just before her confirmation hearing, promising him access to administration officials if he did.
He spoke before leaving Greece, where he delivered a speech calling for European countries to return to what he described as their civilizational roots.
Rubio said he was aware of The Wall Street Journal's report, which was published late Wednesday, but had no idea if it was true and he would not address it.
“You guys walk around thinking that because some source told you something and you reported it, it’s the gospel. It’s not the gospel. It’s not the gospel for me. That’s not the way we do things,” he said at the foot of his plane as Guilfoyle, who was there to see him depart Greece, looked on.
At a joint news conference with the Greek foreign minister on Wednesday, Rubio said he would not address the allegations while visiting a foreign country, but added: “Suffice it to say our embassy here is doing a great job. Our ambassador has been a strong ambassador here.”
The top two Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs and Senate Foreign Relations committees have called for an investigation into Guilfoyle, but Rubio would not say if he was prepared to open one.
Congressional Democrats already were looking into claims reported last month by the Wall Street Journal that Guilfoyle acted improperly while serving as the top U.S. envoy to Greece.
The Journal reported that Guilfoyle told guests at a reception that the U.S. could undermine the Greek government if it chose to, promoted the business interests of one particular Greek construction and energy company, and allowed its lobbyist into private diplomatic meetings.
Guilfoyle, a former Fox News Channel host and California prosecutor who was once engaged to Trump’s son Donald Jr., has denied any wrongdoing and Rubio has defended her before.
Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim contributed to this report from Washington. This version corrects the day of the news conference to Wednesday.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, center, and U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle stand at Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport near Athens, Greece, before Rubio boards a plane , Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
