Dallas Cowboys BREAKING: WR Michael Gallup Passes Physical, Moves Off PUP
FRISCO - At first blush, it seems logical to conclude that Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Gallup won't be suiting up for Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football.
But maybe we need another "blush.''
CowboysSI.com has been told that on Tuesday afternoon, right after having been kept on Dallas' 53-man roster, the rehabbing Gallup passed his physical and is being moved off PUP.
Maybe Jerry Jones wasn't exaggerating after all. (Well, OK, maybe a bit.)
The team has gone through the offseason with some in-season delay being the expectation, as the 26-year-old continues into the later stages of his ACL rehab.
But in the magical world of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, there is one scenario that would call for Gallup to be on the field and playing in Week 1 against the Bucs.
"If (Week 1) was the Super Bowl, he'd be lining up and playing," Jones said Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan. "He's that ready."
The first truth: Passing a physical'' isn't the same as playing in a game. We've been cautioned to tap the brakes a bit here, as Gallup is still moving through a "process.''
Still ...
While beginning the season in the Super Bowl would be quite the way to start and end a season all at the same time - while simultaneously having the Cowboys leapfrog over a conference championship that they've failed to reach since the Super Bowl-winning season of 1995 - Jones' hypothetical scenario helps paint a positive picture of where Gallup currently stands in a rehab process that could have potentially forced him onto the PUP (physically unable to perform) list.
But instead, he's set to enter the season on the 53-man roster, though Gallup himself said at last week's Season Kickoff Event that his return to the field is ultimately out of his hands.
"That's all up to the trainers," he said via DallasCowboys.com. "I'm back to running routes now, actually getting to catch balls now. There's not a whole lot more I've really got to do."
Indeed, Gallup was seen running routes and catching passes from Dak Prescott following joint practices with the Los Angeles Chargers on Aug. 18. Dallas coach Mike McCarthy has beamed with positivity as a result.
"There have been no setbacks,'' McCarthy said. "We've been really blessed that he's doing so well."
And as the season creeps closer, the personal goals Gallup laid out for CowboysSI.com are certainly coming closer to fruition.
"I'm feeling great,'' Gallup told us. "My goals for this season? Me? Just get back healthy so I can help this team.''
Sooner, it seems, rather than later.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Dallas Cowboys?
Follow FishSports on Twitter
Follow Cowboys / Fish on Facebook
Subscribe to the Cowboys Fish Report on YouTube for constant daily Cowboys live-stream podcasts and reports!