Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will miss at least one game due to a hamstring injury that the team is still evaluating, the Cowboys announced on Monday.
Coach Mike McCarthy confirmed that Prescott will not play in Sunday’s game at home against the Philadelphia Eagles. Prescott hurt his hamstring during the second half of a 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Several reports, citing anonymous sources, suggested that Prescott might miss several games. McCarthy also mentioned that placing Prescott on injured reserve is a possibility, which would mean he’d be out for at least four games.
“There’s obviously been a lot of discussions,” McCarthy said. “I think once the doctors and really once he figures out exactly where he’s at, those are conversations that will probably happen here over the course of this week.”
A long absence for Prescott would be another tough blow for the Cowboys (3-5), who are currently on their first three-game losing streak since 2020. That year, the team played the last 11 games of a 6-10 season without Prescott after he suffered an ankle injury.
Prescott explained that he first noticed the hamstring issue while scrambling, and then felt something unusual while making a throw. He did not return for the fourth quarter of the Atlanta game.
Cooper Rush took over for Prescott in the Falcons game. Rush had a 4-1 record as a starter when he filled in for Prescott in 2021, after Prescott broke his thumb in the season opener.
That year, the Cowboys went on to win 12 games and made the playoffs for the second time in a row.
“It really doesn’t change anything for us,” McCarthy said. “This is about the quarterback room. We’ve always invested all the time and energy into the quarterback, Dak, that has the football. So now it’s Cooper’s turn, and Dak will be part of that process.”
The Cowboys are already three games behind Washington and Philadelphia in the NFC East standings. The defending division champions will host the Eagles (6-2) on Sunday, and Cooper Rush is expected to start.
Trey Lance, the No. 3 overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2021, will be Rush’s backup. The 49ers traded Lance to the Cowboys last year after he lost the backup quarterback competition.
Lance played a lot during the preseason as he finishes his four-year rookie contract. McCarthy mentioned that there are no immediate plans to give Lance a chance to play and show what the future with him might look like.
Rush led the Cowboys on an 86-yard drive, which ended with a 4-yard pass to Jalen Tolbert in the final two minutes, narrowing the Falcons’ lead to just six points. However, Atlanta recovered the onside kick to secure the win.
“I think if you just look at the way we played the last game, we really want to improve on the things we did well but also clean up the pre-snap penalties,” McCarthy said.
“Our focus is really on having a game plan to beat the Eagles defense, and we have great confidence in Cooper.” In Dak Prescott’s first eight seasons, Dallas missed the playoffs twice when he wasn’t fully healthy for the entire season.
The 2017 season was disrupted by running back Ezekiel Elliott’s six-game suspension due to domestic violence allegations. A strong start in 2019 eventually faded to an 8-8 finish, leading to the firing of then-coach Jason Garrett. McCarthy, who replaced Garrett, is in the final year of his contract.
“It’s definitely hard,” McCarthy said. “I just think this is the path that’s been cut out for us. We’re going through adversity, and it’s a great opportunity for us as a team.”
