The headaches don't dig in for as long or hit as hard as they once did. The lapses in memory are less frequent along with the inability to string words together.

David Irving spoke with reporters Monday for the first time since suffering a concussion against Washington to end November. It's a conversation the Cowboys defensive lineman wouldn't have been able to conduct two weeks earlier.

"It's hard to put my words in order," Irving said of symptoms he's experienced at times over the previous 32 days. "I'll be talking and I'll know what I want to say but then when it's time to talk, I can't say it. I look like a deer caught in headlights."

He pauses and smiles.

"I couldn't have said that weeks ago," Irving said. "I wouldn't have thought of that.

"But yeah, it's getting better, getting easier."

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Irving's concussion came early in the game against Washington on Nov. 30. He knew he wasn't right but wanted "to stay in and get some sacks and whatnot." He didn't tell the coaches, doctors or any of the trainers he was disoriented.

It wasn't until the next day he became truly concerned.

"It wasn't just headaches," said Irving, who missed the final four games of the regular season. "It was confusion, just forgetting things.

"It did scare me at first. You know for a while it didn't seem like it was getting better.

"I've never really had one this bad."

The headaches persist and come on randomly. Some days, Irving wakes up with a headache that goes away in a couple of hours. Other days he'll be fine, but one will hit while he's eating dinner and last for the remainder of the evening.

His memory?

"I'll be looking for my phone and it's like right in my hand and I'm just looking everywhere for it," Irving said. "But that hasn't happened for a couple of weeks now."

Irving will consider wearing a mouthpiece in the future, even though there's conflicting information as to whether or not it helps prevent head trauma. He has spoken to several doctors along the way.

All have said he should be fine.

"I guess some just last this long," Irving said. "They say they either last a day or month, so I just got unlucky this time.

"It's nothing serious. It should be all right."

Briefly

Report of Dooley's firing disputed: NFL Network reported Monday that Cowboys wide receivers coach Derek Dooley will not be returning for the 2018 season. Although Dooley, who was in the final year of his contract, could end up leaving the staff, a source said Monday that the report is not true and the Cowboys front office will meet with head coach Jason Garrett about his staff this week.

— Jon Machota