NFL
Why isn’t Dak Prescott playing for the Cowboys against the Eagles in week 17? Latest injury update
The Cowboys QB1 has been out of action since Week 9 and isn’t expected to return until 2025. Here’s what we know.
The Dallas Cowboys have been forced to make do without starting quarterback Dak Prescott since the Week 9 defeat to Atlanta at the start of November.
That was the last time the 31-year-old turned out for Mike McCarthy’s team, whose season has been dogged by injury problems. Prescott, who has made just five appearances during the current campaign, won’t be back until 2025.
What injury does Prescott have? When will he be back?
Prescott suffered a partial tendon avulsion in his hamstring in Dallas’s Week 9 defeat to the Atlanta Falcons on 3 November. In layman’s terms, the muscle has become slightly detached off the bone. He underwent season-ending surgery 10 days after suffering the injury, and the recovery time is around three months.
That is twice as long as the Cowboys would have had to wait had they opted for a conservative, rest and rehab treatment, which would have kept Prescott sidelined for approximately six weeks.
But considering the team’s position and chances of making it to the playoffs, it was decided that surgery was the best route to ensure the quarterback makes a complete recovery.
“My plan is to start OTAs [organized team activities] and start the offseason no restrictions, full go,” Prescott told CBS earlier in December, adding: “At that point, [I’ll be] just doing everything I can to be the best quarterback and leader of this team to help this team come in next year with the best outfit that we can.”
What are the Cowboys' 2024 stats with Prescott at QB?
With Prescott under center, the Cowboys went 3-5 in their opening eight games of the 2024 season. The quarterback, who in September signed a four-year, $280m Cowboys extension that makes him the NFL’s highest-paid player, threw for 1,978 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions, completing 185 of his 286 attempted passes.
Cowboys have already kissed playoffs goodbye
After securing a narrow 26-24 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their Week 16 game, the Dallas Cowboys (6-8) have been officially eliminated from the 2024 postseason. Despite the win, their playoff hopes hinged not only on their own performance but also on a loss by the Washington Commanders.
However, the Commanders triumphed in a last-second upset against the Philadelphia Eagles, dashing any remaining chances for the Cowboys to qualify as a Wild Card team. With their season concluded, both the team and its fans are already looking ahead to the next season.
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