National Football League

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has high praise for rookie QB Dak Prescott

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:26 p.m. ET

Aaron Torres

There’s no other way to put it: Dak Prescott has been the breakout star of the NFL preseason. Yes, these games are only exhibitions, and, yes, there’s zero doubt that come Week 1 Tony Romo will still be the starter in Dallas. At the same time, the Dak Attack has traveled from Starkville to Big D, and Cowboys fans just can’t get enough of it.

Still, after he completed 22 of 27 passes with four touchdowns in his first two preseason games, it isn’t just fans who are raving about Prescott but Cowboys personnel as well.

Nobody open?
All good.@15_DakP will just run it in himself.#MIAvsDAL https://t.co/LWANUEMkXw
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) August 20, 2016

Owner Jerry Jones was asked about Prescott on Monday, and couldn’t stop raving about the rookie from Mississippi State and what he’s done in his short time as a pro.

Jones did not hesitate to answer his own question.

Although the excitement is probably a bit overblown, Jones does bring up a very good point: In a world where virtually every quarterback in the NFL faces some kind of injury concerns, you really can’t put a price tag on having a backup you can throw into the fray, and count on once the season hits. That’s especially true in Dallas, where Tony Romo is now 36 and coming off an injury-plagued season in which he was limited to just four starts. Even if Romo stays healthy it’s clear his time as a high-level starter is dwindling, and that at some point in the not-too-distant future, someone other than No. 9 will be taking snaps for the ‘Boys. Prescott appears to be that guy.

Of course, while Jones is nothing short of giddy, others in the organization are tempering expectations.

When asked about Prescott's progress, team VP Stephen Jones, Jerry’s son, took a much more tame approach.