The injury to Dak Prescott's right hamstring is more serious than first believe and the Dallas Cowboys quarterback might need to undergo surgery, multiple media outlets reported Wednesday.
According to the reports, Prescott has a partial avulsion of the hamstring tendon, meaning it tore off the bone.
The Cowboys have yet to place Prescott on injured reserve, which would require him to miss at least four weeks. However, the new diagnosis implies an absence longer than a month.
Prescott got hurt while scrambling during the third quarter of Dallas' 27-21 road loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Cooper Rush took over at quarterback, and he will be the starter during Prescott's absence, backed up by Trey Lance.
The Cowboys, who have lost three games in a row to slip to 3-5, play host to the Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) on Sunday.
Prescott, 31, owns the NFL's richest contract, with a guarantee of $230 million in a deal that runs through 2030. In nine years as the Cowboys' starting quarterback, he has a 76-46 regular-season record but a 2-5 postseason record, having never guided Dallas to a conference final.
This season, Prescott has completed 64.7 percent of his passes for 1,978 yards and 11 touchdowns with eight interceptions.
For his career, the three-time Pro Bowl performer has a 66.8 percent completion rate for 31,437 yards and 213 TD passes with 82 interceptions.
Rush has five wins in six starts as a sub for Prescott -- 1-0 in 2021, then 4-1 in 2022. Rush, 30, has been with the Cowboys since 2017.
"Cooper's been great in getting Dak ready to play, and now Dak, they'll be some role reversal there," Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said, according to ESPN. "(Rush's) temperament is excellent. I would say he's as even-keeled as an individual, especially a quarterback, that I've had the opportunity to work with. Cerebral. Smart. He gives you the flexibility to continue to play."
