Two weeks ago, Dak Prescott left the game against the Atlanta Falcons with an apparent hamstring injury. Now we have a Dak Prescott injury update. In a devastating blow to the Dallas Cowboys, quarterback Dak Prescott will miss the remainder of the 2024 NFL season after electing to undergo surgery for a hamstring injury.
dak prescott Injury
Prescott suffered a partial tear of his hamstring tendon, known as a partial avulsion, during the Week 9 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The injury occurred in the third quarter, and Prescott was seen limping off the field after an incomplete pass. Initially, there was hope that surgery could be avoided, but after consulting with specialists, the decision was made to proceed with the operation.
Dak Prescott’s 2024 season
Before the injury, Prescott was having a difficult season by his standards:
- 8 games played
- 1,978 passing yards
- 11 touchdowns
- 8 interceptions
- 64.7% completion rate (second-lowest of his career)
- 86.0 passer rating (career-low)
These numbers are a far cry from his impressive 2023 season, which led to him signing a record-breaking four-year, $240 million contract extension in September.
dak prescott injury Impact on the Cowboys
This Dak Prescott injury comes at a critical time for the Cowboys, who are currently struggling with a 3-6 record and have lost their last four games. Their playoff hopes, already dim, have now become non-existent.
Looking Ahead
The focus for Prescott now shifts to rehabilitation and preparing for the 2025 season. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expressed optimism about Prescott’s prognosis, stating, “His prognosis is wonderful. It just means we’re not going to have him for the rest of the year”.
For the Dallas Cowboys, the Dak Prescott injury means they will be left with Cooper Rush and Trey Lance at the quarterback position. Rush will immediately take the reins, though Trey Lance may soon be named starter if Rush continues to struggle to lead the offense.
Cooper Rush
Cooper Rush originally signed with the Cowboys in 2017 as an undrafted free agent. Rush has mainly served as Dak Prescotts backup, accumulating a 5-2 record. Rush had an impressive 4-1 record as a starter, taking over for Dak Prescott in 2022.
Cooper Rush’s lone loss that season came against the Philadelphia Eagles. Then, Rush’s first start in 2024 was the 34-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles where Rush completed just 13 of 23 passes for a mere 45 net yards passing.
TREY LANCE
Trey Lance has been the Cowboys #3 for the past two seasons. Lance has a 1-3 record as a starter, all with the San Francisco 49ers in 2022. The 49ers traded their former third overall pick Lance to the Cowboys for a fourth round pick after the emergence of Brock Purdy and the signing of Sam Darnold.
Trey Lance came in to relieve Cooper Rush during garbage time in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys-Eagles game, completing 4 of 6 passes for 21 yards and one interception. Despite the hopes that Lance could inject some life into the struggling offense, Lance’s appearance was unimpressive.
QB Controversy
Head coach Mike McCarthy named Cooper Rush as the starting quarterback against the Houston Texans and, despite Rush’s awful stat line, McCarthy took the blame for Rush’s performance.
“I didn’t get Cooper [Rush] into a rhythm and that’s something that I didn’t feel good about in the game.” McCarthy told reporters on Monday, via the Cowboys’ official website. “We need to find a better way of doing that, I need to do a better job there.”
Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones added more insight to the quarterback room.
“Because Cooper has shown that he has the capability to compete and win in games, and he gives us the best chance,” said Jerry Jones said during his weekly radio show, through WFAA. “Frankly [the loss] was an out of character game for him based on what we’ve seen.”
The 3-6 Cowboys face the 6-4 Houston Texans this weekend. Rush and the Cowboys are looking to bounce back against the struggling Texans, who have dropped two straight.
