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NFL Makes Punishment Decision on Dak Prescott Incident

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Nov 2, 2025 5:43 AM ET

The Dallas Cowboys lost 44-24 to the Denver Broncos; Dak Prescott had two interceptions and no touchdowns.
Sixteen penalties occurred, including a Roughing the Passer incident involving Prescott.
The Broncos face the Texans next; the Cowboys host the Cardinals on Monday Night Football.

Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys are coming off a disappointing 44-24 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 8. The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback had a forgettable performance in the game, finishing with 19-of-31 completed passes for 188 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Cowboys came crashing back down to earth against Bo Nix and the Broncos, following Dallas’ 44-22 blowout win over the Washington Commanders in Week 7. This time around, it was the Cowboys who found themselves on the wrong end of a deflating, lopsided defeat.

Prescott and Co. fell to 3-4-1 after their latest loss.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) during an NFL game.Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

There was no shortage of action in the Cowboys-Broncos game. A total of 16 penalties were accepted among the two teams throughout the contest. Dallas gave up a total of 80 yards on penalties, while Denver conceded 42 yards.

One of the more contentious moments from the game came at the 10:50 mark of the fourth quarter. The Cowboys ran a shotgun formation at 2nd-and-one from the Broncos’ 30-yard line. Prescott found wide receiver CeeDee Lamb with a short pass, which resulted in a seven-yard gain for Dallas.

On the same play, Broncos defensive tackle Malcolm Roach was flagged for a Roughing the Passer penalty against Prescott. It resulted in a 12-yard penalty for Denver’s secondary, which was enforced from Denver’s 23-yard line.

According to the NFL Football Operations’ accountability guidelines, the league’s Officiating Department reviews plays from games for potential violations and fines. Roughing the Passer is one of those violations that, if deemed excessive, carries a $17,389 fine for the first offense. The fine for the second offense increases to $23,186.

The good news for Roach is that he was not fined for his penalty against Prescott. The NFL announced its gameday accountability update from Week 8 on Saturday, and Roach was not included in the list of 10 players across the league who were fined for the previous week. In fact, no incident from the Cowboys-Broncos game was fined retroactively.

Roach and the 6-2 Broncos will be back on the field on Sunday. They will take on the Houston Texans in a road game at NRG Stadium.

Prescott and the Cowboys, on the other hand, are preparing for a primetime showdown against the Arizona Cardinals for “Monday Night Football.” Kickoff from AT&T Stadium is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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