Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland ruled out for game with knee injury

PITTSBURGH —The Dallas Cowboys ' battered group of pass rushers took another hit Sunday night early in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Rookie defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, starting because of injuries to three other players at his position, suffered a right knee injury four minutes into the first quarter Sunday and was ruled out for the rest of the game. After a collision on Steelers run play to the right side of the field, Kneeland remained sitting on the turf and received attention from trainers.

Kneeland then limped off the field and into the medical tent on the sideline. After he spent several minutes in the medical tent, Kneeland climbed onto the back of a cart and rode into the locker room for further evaluation.

He's far from the first Cowboys pass rusher to suffer a leg injury this season.

During training camp, Dallas lost defensive end Sam Williams to a season-ending ACL tear, robbing the team of a key reserve. Matter grew worse in the second half of last week's win over the New York Giants when Pro Bowl defensive ends Micah Parsons (high ankle sprain) and DeMarcus Lawrence (foot sprain) left the game with injuries.

Dallas placed Lawrence on injured reserve this week, meaning he'll miss at least four games, while Parsons was unable to play or practice this week.

A second-round pick out of Western Michigan, Kneeland stepped into the starting lineup in the absence of his accomplished teammates and hoped to build on a promising start to his career. He lasted four plays.

The Cowboys will turn to Chauncey Golston, Tyrus Wheat and veteran practice squad call-up Carl Lawson to fill out their defensive end rotation for the rest of Sunday's game. Dallas signed 2023 fifth-round pick KJ Henry to the roster this week but chose not to activate him to play in Pittsburgh.