National Football League

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott to undergo season-ending surgery on torn hamstring

Updated Nov. 12, 2024 11:58 a.m. ET

Dak Prescott's 2024 season is over.

The Dallas Cowboys quarterback will undergo season-ending surgery for his partially torn hamstring on Wednesday, Jerry Jones confirmed in an interview with 105.3 The Fan in Dallas.

"His prognosis is wonderful. It just means we're not going to have him for the rest of the year," Jones said.

Even though Prescott was set to miss the Cowboys' next several games due to the injury, they had hoped to avoid surgery. Jones confirmed on his radio show last week that Prescott's hamstring was partially torn off the bone, a condition known as partial avulsion. A full tear of the tendon off the bone requires surgery, and that's what happened two years ago in training camp when former Dallas left tackle Tyron Smith missed 13 games.

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.

Backup Cooper Rush filled in for Prescott afterward and started for them in their blowout 34-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. He completed 13 of 23 passes for just 45 yards while losing two fumbles. Trey Lance eventually replaced Rush, completing 4 of 6 passes for 21 yards and an interception.

Prescott is just the latest in a growing list of key players who have gone down for Dallas (3-6) this season, joining star linebacker Micah Parsons, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and cornerback Daron Bland. Parsons returned for Sunday's game against Philadelphia after a four-game absence.

When he was healthy, though, Prescott was struggling. His completion percentage (64.7), yards per attempt (6.9) and passer rating (86) are on track to be career lows. 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. After its loss to Philadelphia, Dallas has a pair of games against teams with winning records (Houston Texans, Washington Commanders). Without their starter, the Cowboys' hill to make the postseason for a fourth straight year is now much steeper to climb.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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