Getty The Cowboys face questions at quarterback.
The long-awaited decision is in: Dak Prescott is out.
The Dallas Cowboys declared Prescott inactive for Sunday night’s road tilt at Minnesota, the team announced. The franchise quarterback is dealing with a right calf strain that limited his practice ability and relegated him to a game-time decision.
Today’s inactives at the Minnesota Vikings:
Prescott went through his normal pregame routine in front of head coach Mike McCarthy and director of rehabilitation Britt Brown. Ultimately, the Cowboys’ brass felt uncomfortable risking their $160 million bedrock, who will remain in mothballs until Week 9.
“Cowboys QB Dak Prescott (calf) is inactive. Official and expected. This decision was made before Prescott’s impressive workout at U.S. Bank Stadium. Nothing in workout would’ve convinced Cowboys that Prescott couldn’t play,” Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News reported Sunday.
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Reason for Dak’s Inactivity
Prescott suffered the calf issue on the final play of Dallas’ Week 7 overtime victory over the Patriots. He rehabbed over the ensuing bye week and practiced on a limited basis in the lead-up to Sunday’s NFC matchup. However, both Prescott and McCarthy took a
big-picture approach to a season still in its infancy, unwilling to risk further injury.
“There is a bigger picture. It is more than just this one game,” Prescott said Thursday, via ESPN.com. “The fact is I don’t want this to linger past this week. Same as I told y’all in training camp about my shoulder: something I want to nip in the bud and make sure I’m healthy and ready to go, so I don’t think about it playing and we’re not having these conversations past today.”
Asked about being told by Brown that he couldn’t play, Prescott said (via The Athletic): “Would I be mad and pissed at him? Yeah and I think he knows that. But that’s our relationship. We might share some words, too, if that happens. But at the end of it, it would be a hug…He has all my trust.”
Dak when asked about possibility of Britt Brown telling him he can’t play: “Would I be mad & pissed at him? Yeah and I think he knows that. But that’s our relationship. We might share some words, too, if that happens. But at the end of it, it would be a hug…He has all my trust.”
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Rush Discusses Starting for Dak
A former undrafted free agent, Rush will make his NFL regular-season debut against Minnesota. The Central Michigan product won the backup job out of training camp, defeating Garrett Gilbert and Will Grier, who will be active as the No. 3 QB.
The Cowboys certainly appear confident in Rush, with owner/general manager Jerry Jones recently assuring “we have the full playbook with him.” But how does Rush feel about the primetime opportunity?
“I feel good,” Rush said earlier this week, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “I’ve been in this offense for a while. We know this (Minnesota) defense, too. Played them, for the third year in a row now. So there is some familiarity. They do what they do and they’re good at it. So it’s going to be a good matchup. I feel confident.”
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL