Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott lost for rest of season with severe ankle injury
Quarterback Dak Prescott entered the 2020 campaign betting on himself by leading the Dallas Cowboys to the playoffs and then hopefully cashing in on a lucrative contract extension after the season.
After seemingly doing his part with a NFL record for passing yards through the first four games, Prescott spent Sunday night in the hospital undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a right ankle compound fracture and an uncertain future.
Prescott sustained the injury on what appeared to be a routine quarterback draw in the third quarter of the Cowboys’ 37-34 victory against the New York Giants before an NFL COVID-19 record crowd of 25,147 fans at AT&T Stadium.
Prescott picked up nine yards on the play, but his lower right leg twisted awkwardly after being tackled by Giants safety Logan Ryan. He immediately knew something was wrong and motioned for help from the sidelines.
He was carted off the field as the majority of his teammates as well as many of the Giants offered him encouragement.
Prescott shed tears as he exited with a fist in the air to the cheers from the fans in the stands.
Team owner Jerry Jones was shown standing in his suite with vice president Stephen Jones before heading down to the locker room to check on the fifth-year quarterback.
“We are all heartbroken for Dak and this very disappointing injury,” Jones said. “I know the personal hardship and strife that he has faced, dealt with and overcome in his young life. And I know of no one who is more prepared, from the perspective of mental and emotional toughness and determination, than Dak Prescott to respond and recover from this challenge that has been put in front of him.
“He is an inspiration to everyone he touches. He has all of our love and support. And we have no doubt that he will return to the position of leadership and purpose that he brings to our team.”
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, who stood next to former Cowboys coach and now Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett on the field, tried to console an emotional Prescott.
“I could tell the way he went down, it was of a serious nature,” McCarthy said. “You knew right away. I feel terrible for him. He was having a tremendous year in a short time. He is clearly the leader of this football team. No doubt he will bounce back from this. This will be just another chapter in a great story.”
Former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback and former TCU star Andy Dalton, who signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys in the offseason, replaced Prescott and led them to a much-needed comeback victory.
Prescott departed with a 24-23 lead in the third quarter. Running back Ezekiel Elliott finished off the drive with a touchdown to make the score 31-23.
But the Giants kicked a field goal and then rallied to take the lead, thanks in part to a fumbled bad snap from center Tyler Biadasz. The Giants recovered and scored on a Devonta Freeman’s 4-yard run.
The Giants converted the 2-point conversion to take a 34-31 lead.
Dalton then led the Cowboys to a 40-yard field goal from Greg Zuerlein.
After the team’s maligned defense got a stop, Dalton walked on the field with a smile on his face and 52 seconds left on the clock and led them on a five-play game-winning drive.
A 38-yard pass to Michael Gallup was followed by a 19-yard pass to Gallup, setting up Zuerlein’s 34-yard game-winning field goal as time expired.
“You want to be in these situations,” said the 10-year veteran Dalton, who completed nine of 11 passes for 111 yards in the game. “I have been in that situation a bunch of times. It’s fun how everyone responded. This is why you play the game, for moments like this.”
The Cowboys ended a two-game losing streak and are now in sole possession of first place in the NFC East at 2-3. The Philadelphia Eagles are next at 1-3-1 followed by the Washington Football Team at 1-4 and the Giants at 0-5.
The question now is how will the Cowboys fare without Prescott, presumably out for the rest of the season.
They have an extra day to figure it out as they face the Arizona Cardinals at home next Monday night on ESPN.
They trust Dalton. That is why they signed him in the offseason. And he certainly proved that against the Giants.
“We have great confidence in Andy,” McCarthy said. “Andy has a lot of pelts on the wall. I expect Andy to keep our offense moving forward.”
Still, he is not Dak Prescott, who was in the midst of a record-setting season before the injury.
Prescott had passed for more yards through the first four games (1,690) than any player in NFL history and led the NFL in passing yards, attempts and completions.
And outside of the on-field ramifications, there is the matter of Prescott’s contract and future. The injury will have major implications on both.
Prescott was playing the 2020 season on the franchise tag of $31.4 million after the two sides were unable to comet an agreement on a long-term deal.
The Cowboys offered Prescott a five-year deal worth $34.5 million per season and more than $100 million guaranteed but he turned it down, hoping for a bigger deal.
It was a good bet since Prescott has not missed a start in his career, a streak of 69 games dating back to the start of his rookie season.
Prescott’s 69 consecutive starts is the sixth-longest streak from the start of a rookie season since the NFL merger, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Prescott and the Cowboys were expected to renew negotiations after the season with Prescott hoping to capitalize on new deals from Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson that would put his asking price in excess of $37 million annually.
But now the Cowboys have a serious decision to make.
It is unlikely they will sign him to a long-term deal at those numbers coming off such an injury.
With the franchise tag for 2021 around $38 million, do they tag him again or chance losing him as a free agent the following season?
“You hate it for Dak after everything he put into this year,” Dalton said. “It’s been a lot of fun being around him. I hate it for him and I am definitely praying for him.”
This story was originally published October 11, 2020 at 8:29 PM.
