Considering how good a day it had been for the Cowboys in general and Dak Prescott in particular, it was only fitting that it was up to the Dallas quarterback to spread some sunshine on what was the one dark cloud that loomed over the team following the 33-17 Week 1 drubbing of the Browns on Sunday. That cloud was the apparent knee injury suffered by Pro Bowl tight end Jake Ferguson in the middle of the third quarter.
Breathe easy on that one. Prescott said the early prognosis on Ferguson is not all that bad.
Via The Athletic’s Jon Machota, Prescott told reporters, “I think we dodged a big one. Talking to him, he gave me a lot of confidence that he’ll be OK.”
The play occurred with 6:35 to play in the quarter and the Cowboys already sitting on a comfortable 27-10 lead. They were backed up at their own 13-yard line, though, and Prescott threw a pass to the sideline, which was caught by Ferguson. As he came down, Browns linebacker Jordan Hicks grabbed him near the ankle, causing Ferguson to land awkwardly.
Ferguson immediately began grabbing at his knee, raising concerns about the severity injury.
Jake Ferguson Walking Without a Brace
After the game, several Cowboys reporters noted that Ferguson was able to walk under his own power, and that Ferguson said he could have gone back in to play if he’d been needed.
Patrik Walker of the Cowboys team website wrote on Twitter/X: “Jake Ferguson just walked out of the locker room toward the buses with teammates and there was no brace on his knee — also no crutches or the like. Only an ice pack being held on by gauze.”
NFL media’s Ian Rapoport posted some good news, too: “#Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson, who went down with a knee injury today, is not believed to have suffered an ACL tear based on initial tests, sources say. X-Rays negative, MRI coming tomorrow.”
And from The Cowboys Network: “TE Jake Ferguson says he’ll get a MRI tomorrow on his left knee and felt he could have played through it. Ferguson’s knee was wrapped in ice as he left the locker room to the team bus, no crutches, no brace.”
Ferguson had three catches on the day for just 15 yards. He was instrumental to the success of the Cowboys offense last season, in which he caught 71 passes for 761 yards and five touchdowns. He had a 74.5 grade from Pro Football Focus in 2023, making him the No. 9 tight end in the NFL. His 15 yards receiving were his fewest since Week 6 of last year.
Cowboys Celebrate Big Day for Franchise
The big news on the day was not just the Cowboys’ win over the Browns, though. That was certainly significant, as Dallas notched a win over a playoff-caliber team on the road, where the Cowboys had struggled badly in 2023.
But a new contract for Prescott was the big eye-opener, as he secured a four-year, $240 million contract that ended a summer of drama concerning the need for new deals for the Cowboys’ three biggest stars—Prescott, receiver CeeDee Lamb and edge rusher Micah Parsons.
Prescott set a record with his deal, as he became the richest NFL player on a per-year basis in league history. Lamb’s contract put him just outside of being the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history.
Parsons will have to wait until next offseason to get his new deal, but he made a statement with his play in the win over the Browns, which saw him make four tackles, including a sack, plus a pass defensed and five total quarterback hits on the day.
