McCarthy Calls Grier's Final Game in Dallas the 'Best Preseason Performance Since 1999'
The moment the Dallas Cowboys traded a fourth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for QB Trey Lance, everyone knew that former WVU star Will Grier would be on his way out.
We can argue whether or not Grier should have been higher up on the Cowboys' depth chart in the first place, but you have to give credit where it's due and for the organization to allow Grier to start and play the entire final preseason game was a very respectful gesture. They could have let Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush get some reps, but they have the ultimate respect for Will and allowed him to have an opportunity to put some stuff on tape for the other 31 teams around the league.
Grier took full advantage of that and had a monster game in the win over the Las Vegas Raiders. He completed 29-of 35 pass attempts for 305 yards and two touchdowns while also adding 53 yards and two more scores on the ground on ten carries.
"It's tough all the way around," said Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy. "We phrase it, 'this is a business,' but when I got the phone call, I called Will immediately. That's tough. I thought he handled it very well. I just asked him to go out there and play your ass off tonight. It was a great opportunity and the team rallied around him.
"That is by far...I was trying to think of it walking over here but for a preseason quarterback performance that might be the best performance I've seen since 1999 Matt Hasselbeck had some of these. I'm just so proud of him. This is probably the worst 72 hours of the job what's ahead of us."
After spending the first two years of his NFL career with his hometown team, the Carolina Panthers, Grier has spent the last two plus seasons in Dallas, a place he's grown to love.
"It's been tough, but I've been through tougher stuff. I've got a lot of respect for this organization and the Jones family. I understand it's a business at the end of the day and I respect that. The hardest part on me is just leaving this place, to be honest. Got really close with the team and that's the toughest part about what we do. But I've been through harder things and I'll rebound and be just fine."
When asked what he would tell the other 31 teams, he responded, "I think my play speaks for itself what I can do on the field. I'm a team-first guy and I'd say to them to ask the people around me."
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