Exactly one month after tearing his hamstring, Dak Prescott reached a milestone in his recovery.
“This is actually my first day driving, so I’m living it up in the truck right now,” the Dallas Cowboys quarterback told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday. “Wearing a brace but being able to drive again after a few weeks is a huge win. Even though I still have my crutches, being able to have a normal walking gait now with my crutches [and] put more weight on my leg is a big win.”
Prescott’s hamstring tendon partially tore off the bone in the Cowboys’ Nov. 3 game at the Atlanta Falcons. Prescott missed the remainder of the game, then underwent surgery Nov. 13 to repair his tendon.
His early recovery has required first allowing the hamstring and bone attachment to heal. But Prescott has begun rehabilitating the area.
“I’ve started some weight transfers and different core exercises,” Prescott said, speaking in partnership with DICK’S Sporting Goods. “When I get to put down my crutches to do a workout is something I’m looking forward to next.”
The looming offseason gives Prescott the ability to follow recovery benchmarks with “no hard timeline,” he said.
The Cowboys have five regular-season games left and just a 4 percent chance of making the playoffs, per NFL Next Gen Stats. The Cowboys went 3-5 with Prescott and have gone 2-2 since.
Prescott expects his recovery window to conclude before 2025 offseason activities start.
“Not necessarily rushing back,” he said. “However, I do see myself entering this offseason [with] no restrictions. Not even it being discussed. Planning on by the time that comes, I’m full go, not even in the rehab mode and working to make myself a better quarterback for this team.”
Prescott watched the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving game from the coaches booth to avoid the chance of a collision that he’s not mobile enough to avoid, a concern that nearly occurred when he was on the sideline for Dallas’ Nov. 10 game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
He’s still in conversation with Cooper Rush and the quarterbacks to help when they want it, stopping by meetings to “keep the spirits and the vibes as positive as I can.”
Prescott’s reviewing film, thinking through when he should let a receiver make another move and when he should buy time in the pocket as routes develop. He wants to prepare mentally for next season while he can’t yet prepare physically.
“Taking a lot of notes,” Prescott said. “Missing the hell out of the game right now. [But] the rehab has started. Already starting to get those small goals and victories, from one day to another.
“So looking exciting.”
