Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is set to undergo surgery on his throwing hand and will miss multiple weeks after suffering the injury toward the end of Dallas' 19-3 loss to the Buccaneers, team owner Jerry Jones said Sunday night. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday that Prescott's operation is to repair a fracture in his thumb.
Rapoport added that a definitive timeline will be available following Monday's surgery. In his Monday news conference, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy had no update on Prescott.
Prescott described the injury as "much cleaner" than it could have been. He also echoed his coach's and owner's frustration with the injury and the night at large.
"It's very disappointing," Prescott said Sunday. "But injuries happen. You can't necessarily control it. It's just unfortunate, obviously going to miss some time, not be there for my team. That's what hurts more than anything, especially after the start we just put out there. Wanting to be able to respond and not necessarily having that opportunity for several weeks. Yeah, it's unfortunate, but I'll do what I've always done any time adversity comes. Take it on headfirst, give it my best, and I'm sure I'll come out of this thing better."
Prescott's injury came at the tail end of a brutal showing against the Buccaneers. The quarterback was under consistent pressure, and he sustained the injury by slamming it on the helmet of Shaquil Barrett during his throwing motion.
Prior to being pulled for X-rays while trailing, 19-3, Prescott had completed 14 of 29 passes for 134 yards and one interception.
Prescott committed the turnover after being flushed to the right and throwing off his back foot into triple coverage. The moment was indicative of the Cowboys' struggles to field a competitive receiving corps to support Prescott, as Michael Gallup and James Washington are sidelined with injuries and Amari Cooper is in Cleveland.
Cooper Rush, who was elevated from the practice squad for the game and replaced Prescott, figures to be the next man up for Dallas and will need to develop fast chemistry with his wideouts. Rush completed 7 of 13 passes for 64 yards in his relief appearance.
"It was a tremendously disappointing way for us to start the year," Jones said moments after the loss. "Everybody is disappointed about that. I'm particularly disappointed for our fans. Dak will be out for a little while. We'll be dealing with that, as well, so this is a really tough night for the Cowboys and a really surprising night. Of course, it really adds to it there right at the end to lose him for several weeks."
While the Cowboys await more information on Prescott's injury, they'll have to start picking up the pieces from Sunday's defeat and begin navigating at least the next few weeks without their franchise passer.
