Dak Prescott injury update: Dallas Cowboys name starting QB vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Dallas Cowboys (3-5) head coach Mike McCarthy said Monday that Cooper Rush will start under center in place of Dak Prescott (hamstring) in this Sunday’s Week 10 home matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles (6-2).

Rush will get the start over Trey Lance.

“Cooper Rush is as respected of a backup quarterback that I’ve [been around] since Rich Gannon. … [Rush] carries that type of credibility. He’s a great teammate,” McCarthy said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “Someone that you can see the young guys lean on.

“He’s wicked smart, instinctive. He does a great job when he runs the scout team. He just does everything the right way. Excellent pro. There will be plenty of confidence in him.”

Cooper Rush gets another shot filling in for injured Dak Prescott

Prescott sustained a hamstring injury in the third quarter of Sunday’s 27-21 Week 9 road defeat to the Atlanta Falcons (6-3). He will not play in the pivotal NFC East contest against Philadelphia and could be sidelined for multiple weeks. Prescott is a candidate to go on injured reserve if expected to miss a significant amount of time.

“I gotta get it looked at,” Prescott said of his hamstring after the game. “Didn’t think much of it. Then the next play, I felt a pull. That’s something I never felt. It was tough to walk on it at that point. I asked if I could make it worse. The [medical staff] said I wouldn’t be able to protect myself. I wanted to get out there and compete. I wanted to get out there and fight.”

Prescott completed 18-of-24 passes for 133 yards and one score before leaving the game. Rush replaced him in the fourth quarter, completing 13-of-25 passes for 115 yards and a four-yard touchdown strike to receiver Jalen Tolbert.

Rush proved to be a capable backup option after Prescott missed five games during the 2022 campaign with a broken right thumb. The 30-year-old came in and led the Cowboys to a 4-1 record in his absence.

“Every rep you’ve banked your whole life, you count on,” Rush said. “Obviously it’s a new year, different group, things like that, but for the most part, a lot of similarities and I’ve played with a lot of these guys before.”