FRISCO, Texas – Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on 105.3 the Fan this morning that Dak Prescott (hamstring) is likely headed to injured reserve.
"It's iffy," Jones said of Prescott's timeline to return. "But it's extended time period of time… it's likely we'll IR him, so we'll see how his rehab goes."
Prescott's injury came in the third quarter of the Cowboys 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, where he was unable to return and Cooper Rush had to finish the rest of the game. These are unfamiliar waters for Prescott, who described the injury as "something I've never felt before," which isn't a great sign.
"I felt it when I was getting up from the run. I can't even say I felt it running. Maybe it was the tackle or something on the tackle," Prescott said. "When I was standing up from that, I felt something, but didn't think it was much. It was a physical game and, a lot of times, you feel different things and then they go away."
Unfortunately for Prescott it didn't go away, and now he's likely set to miss the next four games for the Cowboys. When and if he is placed on IR this week, the first game he'll be eligible to return for will be on December 9, when the Cincinnati Bengals come to town for Monday Night Football.
Now, it appears that Rush will once again have to help the Cowboys like he did in 2022 when Prescott suffered a thumb injury in the season opener. Rush went on to win four out of five games as the starter in Prescott's absence. Confidence is high in Rush from Mike McCarthy and the locker room to hopefully yield similar success when the Cowboys need it most.
"Cooper Rush is as respected as a backup quarterback as anyone since, I'd say Rich Gannon," McCarthy said. "He carries that type of credibility. He's a great teammate. He's someone you can see the young guys lean on — wicked smart, instinctive and does a great job when he runs the scout team… He just does everything the right way. An excellent pro. There will be plenty of confidence in him."
With Rush as the starter for at least Sunday against Philadelphia, that moves Trey Lance into the backup quarterback slot, where for the first time in Dallas he'll have to be ready to potential come into the game whether it be situationally or if anything happens to Rush.
"Trey Lance just needs to play…" McCarthy said "He's a big part of our quarterback room and the way we function."
