Lone Star Setback: Prescott’s Season Derailed by Hamstring Injury
Entering the 2024 NFL season with lofty expectations once again, the Dallas Cowboys have seen things not go according to plan through the first nine weeks. Much offseason criticism was directed at Cowboys owner Jerry Jones for the lack of free-agent signings and delays in star contract extensions, and fans' concerns about the team's lack of improvement have materialized. Heading into Week 10 on Sunday, the Cowboys are 3-5, sitting in third place in the NFC East and still seeking their first home win after being dominated in their last four home games, dating back to last postseason’s Wild Card defeat against the Green Bay Packers. In addition to their struggles, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter has now reported that starting quarterback Dak Prescott is expected to undergo season-ending surgery after partially tearing his hamstring in last week’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Prescott's injury occurred during the second half against the Falcons when he went to throw a pass from the pocket and was immediately seen in discomfort after releasing the football. According to Schefter, “Prescott is flying to New York to meet with the specialist, but the Cowboys doctors already believe he needs surgery that would sideline him for four months.” With the updated news of Prescott's injury and the three-time Pro Bowler ultimately planning to undergo season-ending surgery, this will mark the second time in his nine-year career that he has suffered a season-ending injury. The last time this happened was in the 2020 season when Prescott sustained a season-ending right ankle injury in Week Five against the New York Giants, which also required surgery and led to the Cowboys finishing with a 6-10 record, missing the playoffs.
Heading into Week 10, the Cowboys will be forced to prepare for life without Prescott for the remainder of the season, as their playoff hopes grow more dire by the week. Their next three opponents are the Eagles, Texans, and the red-hot NFC East-leading Commanders. If the Cowboys have any chance of saving their season from imploding further, they will need to do so with backup quarterback Cooper Rush leading the offense. In his seven-year career with the Cowboys, Rush has had success in his backup role when Prescott has been unavailable due to injury, most recently going 4-1 in 2022 when Prescott broke his thumb on his throwing hand in the season opener, with Rush stepping into the starting role during that five-game stretch.
