Dak Prescott is the unquestioned leader of the Dallas Cowboys.
Their alpha and omega.
Prescott, who had started all 72 games of his NFL career, sustained a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle on a third-quarter run Sunday in a 37-34 win over the New York Giants.
Prescott had surgery Sunday night, ending his season.
Andy Dalton will replace Prescott in the lineup and his coaches and teammates will talk about this “next man up” mantra that’s so prevalent in the NFL. Dalton is good enough to win a few games, but this team is so dysfunctional right now only Prescott could ensure this season doesn’t spiral out of control.
You can’t replace Prescott’s intangibles. Or his leadership. Or his deft touch in the locker room.
We’re talking about a guy who used to keep a huge bag of Halloween candy in his locker so he could pass it out to the offensive and defensive linemen.
We’re talking about a guy who refused to admit publicly last year that Ezekiel Elliott missed a block in the first game of the 2016 season because, “We keep that stuff in-house.
He’s the Cowboys’ highest-paid player at $31 million this season – and the one player on the roster who touches every single segment of the locker room. It has been like that since he arrived as a fourth-round pick from Mississippi State in 2016.
Think about it: Prescott took over the locker room from a 10-year, highly accomplished veteran in Tony Romo, and the quarterback’s biggest supporter, then-tight end Jason Witten, didn’t object. And Romo’s second-biggest supporter, then-coach Jason Garrett, gave Prescott the job. Prescott bonds with offensive and defensive players. He bonds with the team’s highest-paid dudes and the guys earning the league minimum.
He bonds with Black players and white players. He’s a unifier.
He keeps receivers from griping about the number of passes directed their way and he’s a soothing voice to any unhappy teammate. Listen to Prescott after games, and you’ll hear him deflect praise after wins and accept blame after losses. The guys in this locker room love him because he’s authentic. It’s why they ride or die for him.
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