Dak Prescott hadn't thrown a single pass in an official football game over the past 11 months. He missed most of last year's NFL season with a gruesome injury, and it clearly took a big toll on the Dallas Cowboys' chances to compete.

And, after missing the entire preseason with a shoulder injury, people questioned whether Prescott was going to be ready and sharp for the season opener. And, even though those doubts were valid, it seems like the fans had nothing to worry about.

Dak was as good as ever and completely torched the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' decimated secondary defense, completing 42 of 58 passes for 403 yards, 3 touchdowns, and one pick. Also, he rushed 4 times for 13 yards.

Dak Prescott Says He's A Better Player Now

So, Prescott made sure to clear the air and silence the narratives about his health or his rust, claiming that he believes that he's a better player now than he was when he suffered that season-ending injury:

“I don’t feel like I say things just to say them, so that’s just a credit to all the work I put in,” Prescott said toldTodd Archer of ESPN.com. “I think when you invest that much work in rehab and prehab and just everything that has gone into the last 11 months for me to get on the field, I mean, I’m not surprised about the way that I went out there and fought. Ran the ball a couple times and did all the things that I’d normally do 11 months ago. No, I feel like I’m a better player than I was when I left the field [last year] and I told y’all that was the expectations I had for myself, and I’ll continue to try to get better game in and game out.”

Prescott Says He Enjoyed Every Moment Of The Game

Dak was pretty emotional after the game. He opened up on how much he had missed everything around playing in the NFL after such a long layoff:

"I enjoyed every moment of that game," Prescott said. "Honestly, this whole trip, there's been multiple moments that I've taken in and just missed the bus ride, missed the warm-ups, missed the fans, missed so much about this game that brings me so much joy. Being down in a game two points and knowing you're going to have an opportunity to go back out there and play. Just that resiliency -- missed that. Missed that feeling that sparks up in me and the fire that it had. There wasn't a part of this game or moment I took for granted."

 

The game is always better when the best players are out there. Welcome back, Dak.

Other Top Stories: