Jaylon Smith watched from the sidelines and knew it was bad.
The Cowboys linebacker tried to forget his own emotions of a devastating left knee injury he suffered in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl.
It was difficult.
So when Smith walked over to quarterback Dak Prescott after he suffered a fractured and dislocated right ankle Sunday afternoon, he did so as a man offering support and knowing what's next.
"Whether I try to think about it or not, it came to my subconscious mind and I was just thinking about that moment, everything that I endured," Smith said. "I've seen the tears in Dak's eyes and it just was reminiscent when I went through that same thing."
Prescott suffered a fractured and dislocated right ankle in Sunday's victory over the Giants. Prescott underwent surgery Sunday night, and after heading home the next day, his neighbors placed a sign in front of his house: "Get Well Soon. Your Neighbors."
Prescott will miss anywhere from four to six months. Jerry Jones said Tuesday on KRLD-FM Prescott could return in late April or early May.
The good news for Prescott is recovery from this injury is possible. It does create some interesting offseason decisions from a financial standpoint for the Cowboys. Should the Cowboys franchise Prescott again? Can a long-term deal be completed? Should they let Prescott hit the open market?
The Cowboys want Prescott long-term and how that happens is unsettled. Yet, Prescott is just five years into his NFL career so there is plenty of upside for him both financially and on the field once he recovers from his injury.
Smith didn't have luxury of some financial security or a few NFL years in his back pocket when he was injured.
He was a projected Top 5 pick for the 2016 NFL draft. Smith was leaving after his junior season at Notre Dame, a Butkus Award winner, and wanted to play in the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State.
Everything changed when offensive linemen Taylor Decker pushed Smith from behind forcing an awkward landing. Smith's knee buckled and he went down.
Smith left the field on a cart, his left knee in a heavy brace and, like Prescott, tears flowed. Smith was biting a towel as he was taken away.
The knee injury was severe. Doctors had to reconstruct his ACL and his lateral structures and it was discovered he had peroneal nerve damage.
His stock fell from first-round pick to a gamble. A potential NFL career was in doubt.
Whoever drafted Smith needed to accept his rookie year, 2016, would be spent in rehab. The Cowboys drafted Smith in the second round embracing this. Smith needed a brace on his foot and knee just to move around on the field. The never damage remained.
Smith kept working and finally returned in 2017 starting the first five games and since 2018 hasn't missed a start.
He will never be the player many projected him to become, but he earned his first Pro Bowl last season and always expresses a gratefulness just to play.
The Cowboys rewarded Smith last year with five-year contract extension worth $64 million.
Jones was emotional the day the contract extension was announced.
"Never, ever complained," Jones said last year with his voice cracking. "I've never heard, in my personal visits when he first came in, about, 'Woe is me. I had a bad break,' because he certainly would have been in the very top of the draft when he came out."
So while Prescott begins the process of rehab that lonely feeling will be present.
Smith knows the feeling, well, but has faith Prescott will return stronger.
"It's all about awareness of what happened, why it happened, what's it going to take to get back and (go) from there," Smith said. "It's just an everyday grind, having a clear eye view and embracing each moment you got to embrace each moment and Dak is going to do that."
