The Dallas Cowboys kick off their regular season campaign next Thursday and quarterback Dak Prescott is in the spotlight as the days count down towards a trip to Tampa Bay, meeting the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers.
For Prescott, the offseason has been a long one, going through rehab and then dealing with a nagging shoulder strain that derailed the opportunity to play in the preseason. After practice on Friday, the franchise QB discussed his excitement for the season opener and how all the adversity has led to this moment.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott: “I’m ready. I’m definitely ready. I’m excited. I’ve put a lot of work in to get to this point.” pic.twitter.com/Ay5cFUXet8
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) September 3, 2021
“I’m excited to have that behind me. I don’t think about the time that I’ve missed. I was just laughing the other day with a teammate about the moment that it happened. To be that far beyond it, I’m just excited to get back to football,” Prescott said.
There has been a lot of work for Prescott in the last year. Immediately after the injury, his offseason began and he had to work back into shape, and was in throwing shape during the summer. The questions surrounded Prescott’s health after the ankle injury, but the five-year veteran hasn’t missed a game due to injury other than in 2020.
Now the focus shifts to a meeting with Tom Brady to kick off the 2021 season. All eyes will be on the matchup, with overarching storylines of Prescott’s return vs. Brady’s still growing legacy. The last time Prescott was on the field, there were limited fans but Raymond James Stadium will be full capacity.
“I love night games. Love playing on primetime. I think it’s just set for the perfect stage. Them coming off of the Super Bowl title and us, having fans back to full capacity, I think this is what the NFL and the world needs,” Prescott said.
The bitter end to 2020 for Prescott meant even more because of the unheard-of numbers he was putting up in the first five weeks of the season. Prescott was on pace to break the single-season passing yards record by over 1,000 yards before the injury and he’s made it clear that he wants a more balanced offense this year.
Regardless, Prescott sees this as more than a comeback season. The Pro Bowl quarterback sets a high bar for the revenge tour, believing he’ll be even better than he was early in 2020.
“I have high expectations for myself. I plan to come out starting fast,” Prescott said. “I plan to come out better than I was last year, to be honest.”
No one has a higher standard for Prescott than himself and on Thursday, he gets to put it on full display with the NFL world watching.
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