National Football League

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott (hamstring) to miss multiple games, per reports

Updated Nov. 4, 2024 4:48 p.m. ET

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's hamstring injury is expected to sideline him for multiple weeks, NFL Media reported Monday, though he will get a second opinion to confirm treatment options. He will miss at least one game after head coach Mike McCarthy ruled Prescott out for Sunday's game at home against Philadelphia.

Prescott suffered the injury in the third quarter of the Cowboys' 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9. He had a notable limp after throwing an incomplete pass on the final play of the third quarter as he departed the field. Prescott was set to undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the injury.

"Didn't think much of it," Prescott told reporters. "Then, the next play, I felt a pull. That's something I never felt. It was tough to walk on it at that point. I asked if I could make it worse. The [medical staff] said I wouldn't be able to protect myself. I wanted to get out there and compete. I wanted to get out there and fight."

Backup Cooper Rush filled in for Prescott afterward, completing 13 of 25 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. If Rush gets the start in Week 10, it'll be his first since 2022.

Prescott is just the latest in a growing list of key players who have gone down for Dallas (3-5) this season, joining star linebacker Micah Parsons, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and cornerback Daron Bland.

When he was healthy, though, Prescott wasn't excelling. His completion percentage (64.7), yards per attempt (6.9) and passer rating (86) are on track to be career lows. He's also thrown for 1,978 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The Cowboys also made Prescott the highest-paid player just hours ahead of their season opener. He signed a four-year, $240 million extension with $231 million guaranteed that will kick in at the start of the 2025 season.

Even before Prescott's injury, Dallas' margin for error was thin. Its next three games are against teams that have winning records (Philly, Houston, Washington), as it's multiple games out of a playoff spot. Without their starter, the Cowboys' hill to make the postseason for a fourth-straight year is now much steeper to climb.

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