FRISCO, Texas — Dak Prescott will not take the field against the Philadelphia Eagles, and the amount of time he'll likely miss will be determined soon by the Dallas Cowboys but, until he returns to the field, Mike McCarthy left no room for interpretation regarding the quarterback rotation that features Cooper Rush and Trey Lance.
When the Week 10 battle gets underway on Sunday at AT&T Stadium, it'll be Rush getting the nod as the starter, an expected decision by the Cowboys' head coach.
"Cooper has played really good football for us," he said. "I think he's 5-1 in his opportunities. Like I said, we have great confidence in him."
McCarthy went on to explain the true value of Rush to the organization and the locker room.
"[That record] goes well beyond 5-1," he said of his other veteran quarterback. "Cooper Rush is as respected as a backup quarterback as anyone since, I'd say Rich Gannon. 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.
"Rush initially joined the Cowboys in 2017 as an undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan, having spent nearly the entirety of his career as Prescott's understudy, his lone stretch away from Dallas being a short stay with the New York Giants in 2020, where he reunited temporarily with former Cowboys' head coach Jason Garrett.
He'd return in 2021 to beat out Garrett Gilbert and Ben DiNucci to reclaim the role of QB2, the highlight of his season being a 20-16 victory over the Vikings in Minnesota — throwing for 25 yards and two touchdowns — in a gutsy comeback win at US Bank Stadium as Prescott nursed a calf injury.
In 2022, with Prescott sidelined due to a fracture in the thumb on his throwing hand, Rush helped lead the Cowboys to a 4-1 record, solidifying his status as one of the most dependable backup quarterbacks in the NFL.
Lance, a former third-overall pick of the San Francisco 49ers, continues to develop behind Rush despite limited game reps, having seen his most in-game work this preseason after being acquired by the Cowboys via trade one calendar year prior.
With far less experience under his belt, Lance will serve as QB2.
"Trey Lance just needs to play," said McCarthy. "I know I probably said that 20 times over the course of the preseason, and I think the fact he was able to get game reps. You look at Trey, from the time he arrived, and the things he had to work on, footwork-wise and concept-wise, but another excellent, excellent teammate. He's a big part of our quarterback room and the way we function.
"They all have responsibilities throughout the week for game planning and presentations, and Trey does an exceptional job in that area — especially with signals. He's ready to go, to be in that No. 2 spot."
The pressure is again on for Rush going into Week 10, but he's not exactly a stranger to it. And for Lance, for the first time in his Cowboys' career, it's all about being ready at a moment's notice.
