Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott requires season-ending surgery to repair a partial avulsion of the hamstring tendon, ending his season and dealing a potentially fatal blow to the franchise’s fading playoff hopes.
Owner Jerry Jones said Prescott is set for surgery Wednesday in New York.
Jones said on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas that quarterback Cooper Rush will start Monday’s game against the visiting Houston Texans. Trey Lance will serve as the backup while the team is expected to add fellow quarterback Will Grier to the practice squad.
Jones provided optimistic news on Prescott having his surgery in New York.
“He had a good visit last night and he wants to do that there, and he’s got great medical doctors up there,” Jones said. “His prognosis is wonderful, it just means we’re not going to have him the rest of the year.”
Signed to a four-year, $240 million contract extension in September that made him the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history, Prescott threw for 1,978 yards with 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions in eight games this season.
Prescott, 31, led the NFL in completions (410) and touchdowns (36) last season. He threw for 4,516 yards in 17 games as Dallas finished the regular season 12-5.
A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Prescott owns a 76-46 record in 122 career starts since being picked by Dallas in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He has thrown for 31,437 yards with 213 touchdowns and 82 interceptions.
Rush flopped in his first start of the season on Sunday, one week after Prescott sustained his injury during the third quarter of a 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Rush completed 13 of 26 passes for 45 yards and lost two fumbles as Dallas dropped its fourth straight game, a 34-6 setback to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Rush was replaced in the fourth quarter by Lance, who went 4-for-6 for 21 yards with an interception in his first regular-season action since being acquired by the Cowboys in 2023.
But the Cowboys (3-6) are turning back to Rush for the Monday night game against the Texans (6-4).
“Because Cooper has shown that he has the capability to compete and win games,” Jones said. “And he does give us our best chance. Frankly that was really an out-of-character game for him based on what we’ve seen.”
Rush, 30, has completed 35 of 62 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown in parts of five games this season.
He has completed 59.7 percent of his passes for 1,831 yards with nine touchdowns and six interceptions in 31 career games (seven starts) with Dallas.
Grier, 29, had been with the Cowboys in 2021-22 before being released prior to the 2023 season. He completed 28 of 52 passes for 228 yards in two starts during the 2019 season with the Carolina Panthers.