Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones didn’t care to see his star quarterback, Dak Prescott, power through a linebacker at the goal line for an all but meaningless late touchdown in a win over the Atlanta Falcons Sunday.
With the Cowboys leading 36-3 late in the third quarter, Prescott ran a play-action bootleg to the left, but instead of throwing, he ran straight into Falcons LB Mykal Walker, then took a hit from behind from defensive lineman Anthony Rush as he muscled through Walker for the score. Jones naturally sees Prescott’s health as far more important than six points in a blowout win.
“I worry about it. We got to realize that at the end of the year what this is about is being standing,” Jones said on his weekly radio appearance on 105.3 The Fan, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “Warren Buffett one time said the hardest thing about accumulating wealth is to be there to spend it.”
It was just a year ago, after all, that Jones witnessed a promising Cowboys season fall apart after Prescott was lost for the year to an injury that also came on a scramble. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones had a similar reaction.
“That’s just the way he’s going to play the game. He’s going to play to win. He’s going to play to score. That’s what makes Dak Dak. He’s a fierce competitor. He’s a great leader. He sets the tone for this team,” the son of the owner said, also on 105.3, via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Obviously, you could feel it in him all week long that he had something to prove. He went out and just did an amazing job with this football team. We’re so fortunate to have him, but I will say I hope we don’t see that much the rest of the year.”
Prescott has led the NFL’s most prolific offense this season as the NFC East-leading Cowboys have averaged a league-best 31.6 points and 433.9 yards per game. He’s completed 70.3 percent of his passes with a 20-5 TD-INT ratio for a league-best 110.8 passer rating, rebounding beautifully from the compound ankle fracture that shortened his 2020 season. He’s missed just one game this season with a calf injury.
And while his competitiveness is laudable, club ownership would like him to do all he can not to miss another.