Dak Prescott, quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, is facing a significant challenge in recovering from his injury. Now he’s focused on returning for the ’25 NFL season with a vengeance. After suffering a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle in 2020, Prescott has dealt with major physical obstacles. More troubling, though, is his recent right hamstring avulsion that required surgical repair. After just eight games, this injury forced him to miss the remainder of the 2024 season. Even with these recurring issues, Prescott is focused on making sure his legs are fresh come the start of the 2024 season.
For Prescott, his return to full form has been characterized by a deliberate plan for rehab. He acknowledged that he had “a head start” in his recovery process, allowing him to engage in training earlier than anticipated. His commitment to getting better is evident as he stated, “It’s not now [just] being healthy, it’s about how can I get better?”
In practice sessions leading up to the season, Prescott said he worked on improving his lateral quickness and overall endurance. Notably, he engaged in running drills alongside teammate CeeDee Lamb, where he executed fakes down the field to enhance his conditioning. This week’s training was highlighted by a dazzling 22-yard touchdown run in between defenders, displaying his keen ability to maneuver with surprising speed even after previous years’ injuries. A third-quarter scramble highlighted lingering concerns when Prescott felt a pull in his right leg, raising questions about his readiness.
The Cowboys have been abysmal in their season openers of late. Prescott hasn’t cracked 180 yards passing in the past two seasons combined. In those games, he has accounted for a grand total of one touchdown and one interception. His performance has already come under blistering attack. Since his ankle injury, he has only gotten over 200 yards passing just once, accomplishing that feat with only 242 passing yards in 2023.
Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer made it clear just how critical Prescott’s movement will be at all levels of the game. He stated, “At the end of the day, he’s got to move. He’s got to make plays. He’s got to extend plays. Can we run him? Sure, we’ll run him. And he’s a good athlete.” In each instance, Schottenheimer seemed to concentrate on the fact that Prescott needed to be careful, reminding him to be intelligent and avoid contact on running plays.
As Prescott gets ready for the 2021 season, his challenges are unlike any other. Most glaringly of all, he’ll head into the 2025 season with no preseason practice under his belt for the sixth year in a row. This one-of-a-kind circumstance will surely impact his preparedness as he heads into a pivotal revenge game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Cowboys’ offense, once been freed by Prescott’s dual-threat capabilities, is now under the gun to change their approach. During his rookie and sophomore seasons, Prescott’s mobility was one of his most underrated traits. He established a career-high with 75 carries in 2018, accumulating 305 yards. He had 18 rushing touchdowns in his first three collegiate campaigns. Yet the last few years that part of his game has faded as he’s faced a series of injuries and a shifting offensive philosophy.
With training camp and joint practices against the Los Angeles Rams serving as critical preparation steps, Prescott remains optimistic about his ability to perform at a high level. Specifically in regard to quarterbacks running, Schottenheimer pointed out that QBs don’t run as often on the practice field as they do in games. He remarked, “It’s more about him getting to top speed because you’re not getting to that top speed in practice as much as you would in a game when you’re moved off the spot.”
As the Cowboys’ season opener approaches, all eyes will be on Prescott’s performance. His ability to adapt and execute under pressure will be pivotal for Dallas as they seek to improve upon their recent struggles.
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