The Dallas Cowboys are in serious trouble right now, as they’ve not only fallen to 3-5 through the first eight games of the 2024 season but have also lost quarterback Dak Prescott to a hamstring injury.
Prescott suffered the ailment during Sunday’s loss against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes Benz Stadium, and it was revealed that part of his hamstring actually tore off the bone, known medically as a partial avulsion. The report was first given by NFL Network’s Jane Slater.
The Cowboys quarterback knew something was wrong when he stood up after being tackled, as he explained via ESPN.
>”I felt it when I was getting up from the run. I can’t even say that I felt it running,” Prescott said. “The tackle, maybe something on the tackle. Yeah, I don’t know. But when I was standing up, I felt something, actually. Didn’t think it was much. You get tired. It’s a physical game. A lot of times you feel different things and they kind of go away.”
So far this season, Prescott has thrown 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 64.7% of his passes. He’s projected to miss the next several weeks, and if he needs to undergo surgery, he’ll miss the remainder of the season.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys will be relying on backup Cooper Rush in the absence of Prescott, as explained by head coach Mike McCarthy.
“Cooper’s been great in getting Dak ready to play, and now Dak, they’ll be some role reversal there,” McCarthy said. “[Rush’s] temperament is excellent. I would say he’s as even-keeled as an individual, especially a quarterback, that I’ve had the opportunity to work with. Cerebral. Smart. He gives you the flexibility to continue to play.”
The Cowboys take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at AT&T Stadium.
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Although there was speculation about Prescott’s future in Dallas, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones put those rumors to rest by signing him to a four-year, $240 million contract.
With an average annual value (AAV) of $60 million, Prescott becomes the highest-paid player in NFL history, despite having won only two playoff games in his eight-year career.
However, his season has come to a halt thanks to his injury, and things don’t look like they’re getting any better for the struggling Cowboys.
Michael Whitaker is an experienced NHL and NFL writer and also covers local Detroit sports for Bally Sports Detroit. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism from Eastern Michigan University.