Former Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott understands adversity -- and he understands it quite well.
The signal-caller suffered a compound fracture and a dislocated ankle last year against the New York Giants on Oct. 11, leaving him sidelined all season long. The date on the calendar today says Oct. 7, meaning that we're merely days from the one-year anniversary of that unfortunate day for Prescott.
He was asked about watching the replay of the game as the Cowboys prepare to face the Giants on Oct. 10 at AT&T Stadium.
“I definitely fast-forward through that play," Prescott told reporters. "I’ve watched that play a couple of times, and when it comes up, I can say I watch the beginning of it but not the end of the run,” Prescott said. “I don’t think much about it. It’s kind of past it and it’s really not something I care to see and know that I’ve done a lot to get past it.”
It was a tough moment for everyone at the stadium -- it's rough on the eyes to see for anyone in-person or through a screen -- and former Cowboys head coach and current Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett remembers it vividly.
“It was a really tough moment for me or really anyone who has been around him,” Garrett told reporters. “Dak is a special guy. Have a great relationship with him. A great friendship with him, and he’s someone who has made my life significantly better. When you see a guy like that, who you are competing against go down and you know it’s a serious injury, the human side of everybody comes out. Nobody wants to see injuries in this game. Nobody wants to see injuries to people they love and care about. That was not an easy moment for me or anyone that was close to him.”
Much improvement has been made since Prescott sustained the injury, and at this point, you'd hardly know he had dealt with it (or the strained shoulder in the offseason). At this rate, it wouldn't be unsurprising to see him named the MVP by the season's end.
Through four games this season, Prescott has completed 100-of-133 passes (75.2%) for 1,066 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions.
Expect him to only continue on the up when he hits the field Sunday.
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