Dak Prescott’s 2024 season might be over.
The Dallas Cowboys quarterback will likely undergo season-ending surgery for his partially torn hamstring, ESPN reported Saturday. Prescott is reportedly awaiting one more opinion from a specialist who he’ll meet in New York on Monday before going through the possible operation.
Even though Prescott was set to miss the Cowboys’ next several games due to the injury, they had hoped to avoid surgery. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed on his radio show that Prescott’s hamstring was partially torn off the bone, a condition known as partial avulsion. A full tear of the tendon off the bone requires surgery, and that’s what happened two years ago in training camp when former Dallas left tackle Tyron Smith missed 13 games.
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In Prescott’s case, Jones said it could be a few weeks before it is known whether surgery will be required. If Prescott opted not to undergo surgery, he’d miss at least 6-8 weeks, per ESPN.
Prescott suffered the injury in the third quarter of the Cowboys’ 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9. He had a notable limp after throwing an incomplete pass on the final play of the third quarter as he departed the field.
Backup Cooper Rush filled in for Prescott afterward, completing 13 of 25 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. Sunday’s game against the Eagles will mark Rush’s first start since 2022.
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Prescott is just the latest in a growing list of key players who have gone down for Dallas (3-5) this season, joining star linebacker Micah Parsons, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and cornerback Daron Bland.
When he was healthy, though, Prescott was struggling. His completion percentage (64.7), yards per attempt (6.9) and passer rating (86) are on track to be career lows. The Cowboys also made Prescott the highest-paid player just hours ahead of their season opener. He signed a four-year, $240 million extension with $231 million guaranteed that will kick in at the start of the 2025 season.
Even before Prescott’s injury, Dallas’ margin for error was thin. Its next three games are against teams that have winning records (Philadelphia, Houston Texans, Washington Commanders). Without their starter, the Cowboys’ hill to make the postseason for a fourth straight year is now much steeper to climb.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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