Controversial: McCarthy Names Cooper Rush Starter Over Trey Lance

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a gruesome injury that tore tendon off the bone when he went down in the 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Prescott is expected to be sidelined for no less than four weeks. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy revealed Wednesday that it would be backup quarterback Cooper Rush taking Prescott’s place in the interim rather than former NDSU quarterback Trey Lance, who was formerly a highly-touted first-round draft pick. He has far from met the expectations, though, now on the second team in his career since being selected third overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2021 NFL Draft.

McCarthy likes what he has seen out of Rush as a true team player from an intangibles perspective.

“Cooper’s been great in getting Dak ready to play, and now Dak, they’ll be some role reversal there,” McCarthy said in a report from ESPN. “[Rush’s] temperament is excellent. I would say he’s as even-keeled as an individual, especially a quarterback, that I’ve had the opportunity to work with. Cerebral. Smart. He gives you the flexibility to continue to play. I think that’s what you want in all your quarterbacks. You don’t want to get to a spot where you have to change a bunch of things offensively because who’s behind center.”

How long precisely Rush will start in Prescott’s place remains to be seen. It is clear the former Mississippi State signal-caller is pushing to get back to the field as soon as possible.

“As the Cowboys weigh in on Dak Prescott’s IR status, sources tell me the initial diagnosis is a partial avulsion of his hamstring tendon, which is partially torn off the bone,” NFL insider Jane Slater posted to “X,” formerly known as Twitter. “I’m told it typically takes more than a 4-week recovery. In some cases, they let it scar over, repair, and then strengthen. With that being said, Prescott is seeking other opinions, which is why there is currently a reluctance to place him on IR or make any determinations about a timeline for return.”

Rush has seen action in four games this season, completing 22 of his 39 passing attempts for 167 yards with one touchdown and one interception.