A poor start to the 2024 NFL season got even worse for the Dallas Cowboys when Dak Prescott picked up a hamstring injury in Week 9. After days of speculation, team owner Jerry Jones confirmed the final decision about the quarterback’s situation.
During his weekly appearance on “105.3 The FAN,” Jones confirmed that Prescott will have season-ending surgery in New York on Wednesday. Needless to say, a huge blow for the Cowboys, who are already in a tough situation with a 3-6 record.
“His prognosis is wonderful. It just means we’re not going to have him for the rest of the year,” Jones said about Prescott, as quoted by Cowboys insider Todd Archer of ESPN NFL Nation.
Prescott, 31, raised the alarms during the fourth quarter of the Cowboys’ 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on November 3, when he left the game after hurting his hand. Eventually, the team found out that its starting quarterback had suffered a partially torn hamstring.
Last week, Jones confirmed that Prescott would be out for at least four weeks as the player had to be placed on Injured Reserve. Now, the Cowboys that Dak won’t be back at all in the 2024 NFL season.
Cowboys struggled in first game without Prescott at QB
With Prescott on the sidelines, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy confirmed Cooper Rush would take over at quarterback. The veteran signal-caller struggled in his first start of the year, though.
In the Cowboys’ first game after Prescott’s injury, Rush went 13-of-23 for just 45 yards. McCarthy tried to shake things up by sending Trey Lance to the field, but the former first-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers completed just four of six passes for 21 yards and an interception. The Cowboys ended up losing 6-34 to division rivals Philadelphia Eagles.
Cowboys add depth at QB with Prescott out for the rest of 2024 NFL season
Prescott’s season-ending surgery has forced Dallas to take action at quarterback. While Rush is expected to remain as starter with Lance ready to step in if needed, the team needed depth at the position.
According to Todd Archer, the Cowboys are adding veteran quarterback Will Grier to the practice squad. The 29-year-old, who was released by the Eagles on Nov. 7, has already been in Dallas in 2021-22. Now, the Cowboys healthy quarterbacks are Rush, Lance, and Grier.