Football can be extremely cruel at times.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a serious-looking ankle injury in the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.
Prescott’s ankle turned the wrong way, as he was tackled on a scrambling play in the third quarter. He immediately grabbed at the injury, and he had to be carted off the field shortly afterward.
Players and coaches on the field showed immediate concern for Prescott after the injury as well as Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones.
The injury was indeed as gruesome as it looked. Prescott suffered a compound fracture that resulted in the bone coming out of the skin.
“You knew right away it was serious,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said. “I feel terrible for him. He was having a tremendous year in just a short time working with him. He’s made such an impression on me, and he’s clearly the leader of this football team.
Andy Dalton replaced Prescott and led the Cowboys to a dramatic 37-34 victory on the final play of the game.
What makes the Prescott situation feel even worst, he was playing on a franchise tag as he was betting on himself to get a fully guaranteed contract extension that could have netted him anywhere from $100-150 million dollars. Under the franchise tag, Prescott will still get $31.4 million guaranteed for this season.
While there isn’t any timetable for a Prescott return, Cowboy’s management believes Prescott’s work ethics will have him back on the field as early as next season.
“I know of no one who is more prepared, from the perspective of mental and emotional toughness and determination, than Dak Prescott to respond and recover from the challenge that has been put in front of him,” Jones said.