Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will likely be heading to injured reserve, according to team owner Jerry Jones.
“Well, it’s iffy but it’s an extended period of time here,” Jones told 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday. “I wouldn’t dare make a prediction when it could be, but it’s likely we’ll IR him and we’ll see how his rehab goes.”
Prescott’s placement on IR would mean he would miss at least four games and return at the earliest in Week 14 for the Cowboys’ Monday night game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The injury happened at the end of the third quarter during the Cowboys’ 27-21 defeat to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Prescott said afterward he “didn’t think much” of the pull in his hamstring despite it being tough to walk at the time. He did not come back to play in the fourth quarter, making way for backup Cooper Rush to finish the game.
On Monday, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy would only say Prescott was definitely out for their Week 10 game against the Philadelphia Eagles as reports came out that the quarterback was set to miss multiple weeks.
Through eight games this season the 31-year-old Prescott has 1,978 passing yards with 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions. His 64.7 completion percentage is his lowest since 2017, his second NFL season.
This will be the second time in three seasons that Rush will fill in for Prescott. When Prescott injured his thumb in the 2022 season opener, Rush led the Cowboys to a 4-1 record.
The Cowboys currently sit at 3-5 and in third place in the NFC East. Three of their next four opponents are division rivals — Eagles, Washington Commanders and New York Giants — before they reach their bye. They are down their starting quarterback and likely their top wide receiver with CeeDee Lamb dealing with a shoulder injury.
Despite those obstacles, Jones is remaining hopeful and aggressive as shown by the Cowboys’ acquisition of wide receiver Jonathan Mingo from the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday morning.
“We’re not selling. We will make that case,” Jones said. “We’re buying and not selling.”