What happened to Dak Prescott? Cowboys QB out for 6-8 weeks after hand injury
Dallas Cowboys' opening night at the AT&T Stadium went from bad to worse. Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers torched the Cowboys 19-3 in the Week 1 game of a packed Sunday Night Football schedule. Meanwhile, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott exited the game late in the fourth quarter with a serious right-hand injury.
In a desperate attempt to get the Cowboys back on track, Prescott's throwing hand collided with Buccaneers linebacker Shaq Barrett's strong hands. As per NBC, he underwent multiple X-rays after getting his right hand and thumb checked by staff on the sidelines.
#Cowboys QB Dak Prescott got hit on his throwing hand. Cooper Rush is in the game as Dak gets checked out.
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Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed that Prescott needs surgery and could possibly be sidelined for a few weeks. Jones said:
"He'll be out several games but not out for the year. It's daunting. It just reminds me that this game, like life, is usually pretty daunting. The odds can be generally looked at as stacked against you. But I didn't expect to be standing here with you tonight with this report, I'll tell you that."
Dak Prescott injury: How long will Cowboys QB be out for?
Per fresh reports, Prescott has likely suffered a Bennett fracture and will be out for 6-8 weeks. He will undergo thumb surgery today after meeting with the medical staff.
Just moments after Jones' comments, Prescott appeared in the team's post-match conference wearing a brace on his right hand. He said:
"I was told it was much cleaner than it could have been," Prescott said. "It's very disappointing, but injuries happen. Can't necessarily control it. Just unfortunate. I'm obviously going to miss some time and not be there for my team and that's what hurts more than anything, especially after the start that we just put out there."
A timeline from overnight: Cowboys’ QB Dak Prescott is scheduled to have surgery on his right thumb today and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks, multiple sources told ESPN’s @toddarcher.
Cowboys' offense was already struggling against the Buccaneers, as quarterback Prescott completed just 14 of 29 passes for 134 yards and an interception before the injury. Backup quarterback Cooper Rush replaced the injured Prescott, but couldn't muster a comeback against the Buccaneers' stoic defense. Rush is expected to lead the offense in the upcoming games.
Prescott looked confident during training camp and spoke at length about experiencing the healthiest offseason in years. The 29-year-old quarterback had a rough time dealing with a terrible ankle injury that ruled him out for the majority of the 2020 NFL season.
"Obviously just not what you want to hear. But it's not the worst thing that's happened to me," Prescott said. "It's just another bump in the road and I'll keep moving forward. I'll do everything that I can that I can control to get myself back, to get myself better, help this team and be the best that I can in this role.
The Cowboys don't have a third quarterback on their roster. They face the Cincinnati Bengals next, who lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-23 in an OT thriller in Week 1.