Dak Prescott continues to battle through adversity
ARLINGTON, Texas (BVM) – Nearly an entire year after the cringe-inducing compound fracture suffered by his ankle, Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys squared off against the division-rival New York Giants again.
What Tony Romo once said “Cowboys fans hope is just a cramp” turned out to be the start of a year long journey for one Rayne Dakota Prescott. With many questions surrounding Dak entering the 2021 NFL season, no one could’ve expected the incomprehensible ride that would soon commence.
It started four days prior to playing his second game of the 2021 season. Prescott revealed suicide to be the cause of his brother Jace’s death in April. Jace had been mainly responsible for tending to their mother Peggy, who had cancer at the time.
Feeling “emotions he had never felt before,” Dak experienced times of struggle and depression following Jace’s death. In an interview with Graham Bensinger, Prescott admitted the situation led him to realize “how vulnerable we have to be as humans…how open we have to be because our adversity, our struggles, what we go through, is always gonna be too much for ourselves.”
Prescott credited his late mother to his determination and motivation to keep going. After her passing in 2013, Prescott created the “Faith, Fight, Finish Foundation.”
Though Dak and his family have experienced many hardships, the two-time pro bowler was finally able to secure a new contract with Dallas, one that is sure to set up his family for years to come. Many Cowboys fans felt a rift may have been formed between Prescott and the organization considering his season-ending injury came so early in a year which Dak played on the franchise tag. But he never gave up on the organization that gave him a shot.
“Through this whole time, I never had any doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t be here. I’m a guy that lives and stands and moves every part of his body off the word ‘faith,’” Prescott said.
Football fans everywhere appreciated Dak’s mental toughness and determination to get back out on the field, even when times were tough.
“If you’ve known my story, whatever the circumstance that is, I’m going to take it with a smile and be thankful that God has put me in this position to overcome it, to be an example to others.” Prescott’s journey has only made him a better man, as he now knows nothing is to be taken for granted. “Every day I have a chance to prove myself,” Dak said.
Dak has learned to fuel the future with the past, and so comes wisdom through the fire. “When it comes to cancer, offense is the best defense,” says Prescott. Not only has the 28-year-old quarterback been working hard to improve his Faith, Fight, Finish Foundation, but Dak has also matched fans’ donations on many occasions, putting his new four-year, $160 million deal to work.
Three hundred and sixty-four days after Prescott’s brutal injury against New York, the Cowboys once again played the Giants in Arlington. In a certainly emotional game for Dak, the mindset remained the same all week.
In an interview with Erin Andrews, Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott opened up about what makes Dak so special to the team. “He’s a competitor, he leads us, he motivates us,” Elliott said.
In just five games thus far, Zeke has averaged an exceptional 25 more rushing yards per game compared to his numbers in 2020. The Dak and Zeke connection is one Cowboys fans have dearly missed seeing, and the two are currently playing some of the best ball of their careers. “I’m thankful to have him, [he’s my] best friend,” Prescott said.
With a booming offense and a ball-hungry defense, the Cowboys seem to have a different swagger this year than in years past. “It’s a lot of hard work from a lot of guys individually… and it’s cultivated team success,” says Dak. The team currently sits atop the NFC East boasting a 4-1 record, a feat not accomplished by Dallas since Prescott’s rookie campaign in 2016.
It’s not often you see such a hard road lead to such a quick resurgence. Five weeks into the NFL season, Dak Prescott ranks second in the league in completion percentage and has thrown the third-most touchdowns. Before suffering the injury last season, Prescott was on pace to break Cowboys passing records among other feats. Thanks to his family and faith, the circumstances come as no shock to Dak Prescott.
Though football may be the number one thing on many people’s minds this season, Prescott still recognizes the bigger picture. His mother and brother’s deaths have led Dak to be the man he is today, and Prescott has been sure to realize the deeper meaning behind all of life’s troubles.
As his recovery has now come full circle, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys have a long way to go before the season can be considered a success, but through hard work and living out his mother’s message, the sky’s the limit for Dallas.
