Why isn’t Dak Prescott playing against the Giants on Thanksgiving Day in Week 13?

The 2024/25 Dallas Cowboys season hasn’t been one to remember but after week 9 things got even worse.

During their 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, quarterback Dak Prescott was forced out of the game in the 4th quarter with a hamstring injury and did not return.

And that one most dreaded option turned out to be the only option: surgery. He is out for a number of months and sends one Cowboy season is already spiraling into new realms of darkness, although the Commanders offered a glimmer of positivity.

Before leaving that game, Prescott had completed 18 of 24 passing for 133 yards and a touchdown and had no interceptions. He also had more rushing yards than he had all season combined (33).

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Prescott was operated on with the family

The Cowboys sent Prescott to surgery rather than face potential complications by charging his partially torn hamstring to heal naturally, according to ESPN.

Prescott and the Cowboys held out first until specialist opinions came, but it quickly became clear going under the knife was the only way.

“The most important thing he needs to do right now is focus on the operationrehab and going through that process. Whatever it is for, it always is hard on the individualso he just has to focus on himself right now,” coach McCarthy told reporters after that The Cowboys lost to the Eagles in their first game without their QB.

With Prescott out, backup quarterback Cooper Rush was asked to step into his place.

Rush had won five of his six starts when he replaced Prescott and filled in for him after the injury in the fourth quarter, completing 13 of 25 passes for 115 yards and a 4-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jalen Tolbert, plus a two-point conversion pass to WR CeeDee Lamb.

He was also the man who helped finish a run of five consecutive defeats with the aforementioned win over the Commanders last time out. In that game Rush threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, make Dallas fans dream once again of a potential playoff run, though it may still be a tenuous one.

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