When the Dallas Cowboys returned for two more days of practice, little did they know they were about to dodge a bullet. As their star QB Dak Prescott took to the field at The Star, he came close to an injury that could have nearly ended his season.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris captured that anxiety in a post-practice social media post, pairing it with a GIF of someone clutching their chest and exhaling in relief.
“On the second play of the team period, Cowboys QB Dak Prescott got his feet caught while trying to hand off to Malik Davis and fell, and the entire Ford Center gave a collective gasp,” Harris wrote on X. “He popped right back up and is fine. Had everyone like.”
Harris referred to a moment on the second play of team drills. As Prescott took the snap from the center, he tripped. Yet, he remained unwilling to stop the play, managing the handoff to Malik Willis. However, just as he flipped the ball to Willis, Prescott went to the ground.
With this practice session being open to fans, there were thousands of spectators sitting in the Ford Center, all of whom had the same worry: was Prescott alright?
After all, they know his history with injuries, especially with his legs and feet. Back in 2020, in a Week 5 game against the Giants, Prescott broke and dislocated his ankle. The QB missed the rest of the season and had to get surgery, while the Cowboys finished with a 6-10 record, missing the playoffs.
Similarly, in 2024, during the Week 9 game against the Atlanta Falcons, Prescott suffered a partial avulsion of his right hamstring that tore part of the tendon off the bone. It resulted in a season-ending surgery. And without Prescott, the team failed yet again, with a 7-10 record and a missed trip to the playoffs.
And while Prescott didn’t go down with a tackle, the QB had fans worried about an injury. During the minicamp in June, Prescott was dealing with a knee issue. While the quarterback was limited, Brian Schottenheimer confirmed that it was just soreness, with no reason for concern.
Seeing Prescott hit the ground likely had fans fearing that he had suffered another injury. Thankfully, though, assurance came quickly.
“Practice No. 14 – and the first at The Star – so 14 quick observations: Crisis averted: on the second play of team drills, Dak Prescott tripped as he took the snap from center. He was able to flip the ball to Malik Davis as he went to the ground. More importantly, Prescott was OK,” reported ESPN NFL Nation reporter Todd Archer.
Losing Prescott to an injury this close to the season would be one of the worst turns this campaign could take. Last season, the QB was one of the few positives the team had. His 30-touchdown season kept the team afloat when the defense was leaking points every single game.
Just look at the league’s stats. While the Cowboys were ranked 30th in terms of least average scrimmage yards conceded (377.0), Prescott, alongside CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, turned the offense into the second-best performer in the league. They managed an average of 391.9 scrimmage yards every game.
And now, with the defense seemingly fixed with additions in the off-season, this could be the year Prescott turns things around for the franchise. The Cowboys haven’t been to the playoffs since 2023, and it has been three decades since they last reached a championship game. His impact is clear, and it could go to the next level this year.
“Dak Prescott’s gonna be the MVP,” Pete Prisco of CBS said, pushing the bar higher for the QB. “Okay. I think Dak Prescott again; I say it time and again every single season. He’s the most underappreciated, underrated player in the National Football League. And if they had any sort of defense, he would be that much better.”
But what does Prescott think of these expectations? Well, during the training camp at Oxnard, the QB set things straight.
“[The media] and you people who understand me now, know me, I’m harder on myself that anyone is in high expectations and standards and goals. So when I hear it these days, I’m more just like, ‘cool,’ and ‘you’re right.’ I can’t even say that that’s inspiring or motivating me, because I’m moved and founded by much deeper. So h— yeah, absolutely I’m ready to win.
Now, it’s time to see whether Prescott can end the 30-year Super Bowl drought.