Cowboys' Will Grier reacts to NFL's decision to allow third active quarterback

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Will Grier has embraced his role as the team’s third quarterback. He hasn’t played in a game since 2019 with the Panthers, but while waiting in the wings behind Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush, he’s become a backup they can depend on.

“Dak, Coop, really smart guys,” Grier said, via DallasCowboys.com. “They know the game really well. In my time here, I’ve learned a lot and developed a lot. I’m just fighting to be the best version of me that I can be and to be ready for an opportunity. We saw 65 guys play last year and you never know when you become one of those guys, so I’m just gonna be ready for anything if I get an opportunity.”

Last season, Grier competed with Rush for the backup job before a groin injury knocked him out of the running. Rush further solidified his job when he successfully led the team during Prescott’s early season injury.

Going into his fifth season in the league, the former West Virginia star hopes to put himself right back where he was last preseason.

“I built a lot of momentum through camp last year, but I feel like I’m way ahead of where I was last year at this time, mentally and physically,” Grier said. “I was dealing with stuff last year going into camp, but I was still able to build some momentum…. just gotta build off that and continue to master the offense.”

NFL owners approve emergency third quarterback

The NFL owners approved a rule change that will make Grier a legitimate asset on gameday, should the need arise. He told reporters that he “loves” the move, unsurprisingly.

“I mean, I love it,” Grier said. “I think it’s smart. Quarterback is a different position. A guy can’t just jump in and play quarterback. In this league, I think you need three guys that can play.

“I think the rule is smart and everybody agrees after what we saw last year that you need that. Whether that guy is on the practice squad or on the roster with this rule enacted, that guy has to be ready to play.”

The NFL owners approved a rule change at spring meetings that allows teams an emergency third quarterback that they can activate from the inactive list during the game if the two available quarterbacks are injured or ejected. The rule was previously in effect from 1991-2010.

As a part of the rule change, if either of the first two quarterbacks is cleared to return to action by the medical team, the emergency third quarterback must be taken out of the game.

Another stipulation to the rule is that if a team has three active quarterbacks at the start of the game, it wouldn’t be able to activate an emergency third quarterback.

The designation of who is the emergency quarterback must be made when the team decides their active and inactive lists 90 minutes before kickoff.

On3’s Peter Warren contributed to this report.