Defensive tackle Jay Ratliff’s tenure with the Cowboys came to an end on Wednesday when the team released him from the physically unable to perform list.
Ratliff sent out a statement thanking the Cowboys and their fans after the move was made while his agent Mark Slough was getting word out that the injury that knocked him out last season was more severe than a sports hernia. Slough said Ratliff tore two tendons from his pelvis, which required surgery last December that takes a year of recovery time.
Slough also talked about a “strained” relationship with the Cowboys’ medical staff, which fits with Ratliff’s complaint this summer that he was out because of a hamstring tweak during a conditioning test. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked about Slough’s comments on Thursday and declined to comment.
“We don’t get into, especially under these circumstances, the details of opinions of injury and this has also become a legal matter and so you can understand the need to not comment on specifics at this time.”
Unless there’s a grievance filed about the Cowboys’ handling of the situation, the specific nature of the injury will only be of significance to Ratliff and teams interested in his services next season because his run in Dallas is over regardless of the reason.