Dallas Cowboys DeMarcus Lawrence, who broke a foot in practice Wednesday, underwent surgery Thursday.
Head coach Mike McCarthy says the two-time pro bowlers will miss a significant amount of time.
"You hate to see these injuries to any of your guys, but what it does is just gives opportunities to the other players," McCarthy said.
Lawrence's teammates say they know they have to step up during his absence.
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"We just got to continue to fight adversity, that's something that every team experiences every year," said linebacker Jaylon Smith. "DeMarcus, he's strong, he's been through a lot, he'll bounce back."
Cowboys assistant defensive line coach Leon Lett also underwent surgery Thursday.
Lett was hurt during a practice drill Wednesday and will not travel with the team when they play the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.
