Dak Prescott's 2016 season ranked among top 10 NFL rookie QB campaigns

On August 25, 2016, the Dallas Cowboys faced the Seattle Seahawks in a preseason road game that would unexpectedly alter the franchise's trajectory.
Minutes into the opening quarter, Cowboys Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo—who had missed most of the previous season due to a broken left collarbone—suffered another setback when Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril tackled him, causing a serious back injury.
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In an instant, the Cowboys' championship aspirations seemed to vanish. However, fate had different plans.
In Week One against the New York Giants, fourth-round draft pick Dak Prescott stepped onto the field as Romo's replacement.
Though Dallas lost their season opener, they had unknowingly witnessed the birth of their future as Prescott embarked on what would become one of the most impressive rookie campaigns by a quarterback in NFL history.
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The magnitude of Prescott's rookie season achievement was later validated by Fox Sports, which ranked the former Mississippi State Bulldog ninth in their list of the NFL's all-time greatest rookie quarterback seasons.
In his remarkable rookie campaign, the Louisiana native amassed 3,667 passing yards with 23 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions, adding 282 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns on the ground.
Rookie Dak Prescott was ELITE 🔥 #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/PTxbRzUSAJ
— Locker (@PlayLockerLive) September 5, 2024
Prescott, paired with fellow rookie sensation Ezekiel Elliott in the backfield, led Dallas to a stunning 13-3 record and the NFC's top playoff seed.
His command of the offense shattered multiple franchise rookie records, including marks for passing yards, touchdowns, completions, and fourth-quarter comebacks.
These outstanding achievements earned Prescott the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2016, cementing one of the most impressive debut seasons in league history.
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