Dallas Cowboys safety Malik Hooker was one of six starters to miss practice on Wednesday afternoon due to injury, and he is expected to miss Sunday’s showdown with the New York Jets in Week 5 of the NFL regular season.

With Hooker sidelined, the team will need to call on some reinforcements, and fan favorite Juanyeh Thomas is the early favorite to get the start.

According to Tommy Yarrish of the team’s official website, Thomas “will likely start at safety,” which means he will be facing off against his younger brother, Azareye’h Thomas, for the first time.

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Azareye’h was a third-round pick by the Jets in the 2025 NFL draft out of Florida state.

Dallas Cowboys safety Juanyeh Thomas reacts after a play against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Thomas is eager to get his start and believes it is something he has been preparing for and he is ready to contribute and the team return to the win column.

“It’s something I’ve been practicing for,” Thomas said. “I know my role, I prep like a starter every week, so this is nothing different. This was a chance for me to come in and see if I can help. Like I said, I practice for this moment. I won’t do anything different, I’ll just see what I can do.”

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While Thomas is excited to start in Week 5, he’s also excited to face his younger brother, which will be a dream come true.

“The day after he got drafted, we were just sitting there talking like ‘Man, we used to dream, we used to talk about this, we used to train for this.’ Now, it’s just crazy.” Thomas said.

New York Jets cornerback Azareye’h Thomas participates in a drill during training camp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. / John Jones-Imagn Images

It’s going to be a great afternoon for the Thomas family, but hopefully it’s Juanyeh and the Cowboys who come out on top.

Kickoff between the Cowboys and Jets at MetLife Stadium is set for 1:00 p.m. ET on FOX.

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