Dak's Got Mike's Back: Prescott, Cowboys Ready to 'Represent' Coach McCarthy in Return at Packers
It's no longer a debate. Dak Prescott is in the conversation as one of the best quarterbacks in the illustrious history of the Dallas Cowboys, and he has the numbers to back it up.
And speaking of "backs'' ... Dak is fully in support of his head coach as a spotlight game awaits ...
Despite missing nearly the entire 2020 season with a fractured ankle, in only 88 career games - which is 21st among all Cowboys ever - Prescott has posted the fifth-most wins among Dallas signal-callers (55) and is already on pace this season to break into the top three in franchise history for passing yards and passing touchdowns.
Prescott's brutal ankle injury was the last thing Dallas coach Mike McCarthy wanted just five games into his first season at the helm. But despite the adversity, Prescott's production puts him into an elite conversation of quarterbacks that McCarthy has coached: Joe Montana. Brett Favre. Aaron Rodgers. It's a list fit for kings.
Favre and Rodgers have become a prominent - and emotional - subject as McCarthy gets set to return to Lambeau Field Sunday to face the Green Bay Packers (3-6), a place where he coached the legendary passing duo at before being fired midway through his 13th season with the team in 2018.
But in a highly-anticipated return to face Rodgers and the Pack, a win for Dallas would mean more than securing a 7-2 record. McCarthy had Prescott's back two seasons ago. Dak's got his back now.
"I've told him before … He knows I've got his back," Prescott said. "This is important for us to go out there and represent him."
Countered McCarthy: “I don’t know if I’ve ever worked with someone whose light shines as bright as his.”
Ahead of his fifth matchup against Rodgers (including postseason), Prescott says McCarthy has called upon his past coaching experiences with some of the game's greats in order to help his starting quarterback prepare. It's a head-to-head battle that Prescott has struggled with, as he's 1-3 against Rodgers after beating the future Hall of Famer and McCarthy at Lambeau in 2016.
"I can't say he's doing it all the time," Prescott said. "Not by any means. He uses a lot of Joe Montana as much as he does Aaron. He's been around some great quarterbacks. He's used a lot of Brett. We've talked a lot about Brett this week."
Prescott's words show he and McCarthy have clearly grown close since the head coach's arrival.
"He's meant a lot," Prescott said. "He's been instrumental in my growth, personally, and professionally, honestly. Just being able to have that sounding board and whether it's on the field or off the field. (He's) a guy that has seen a lot of football, been through a lot of football and been in another place."
There's proof in this growth. After his injury in 2020, Prescott proceeded to come back healthy for McCarthy's second season in 2021, where he posted his second-career 4,000-yard passing season while tossing a career-high 37 touchdowns.
After leading Dallas' offense to the top of the league's ranks last season, Prescott's now spearheading the McCarthy parade back into Green Bay with more than just on-field production on his mind. There's obviously a different purpose for Prescott and company this time around.
"I honestly can't wait for his Saturday night speech," Prescott said. "But not a lot has to be said about this week. We know what our coach means to us. We know how long he was up there, we know how special going back is going to be for him."
The Packers stumble into Sunday on a five-game losing streak. Once McCarthy's key to so many victories, Rodgers now looks like a shell of himself this season.
But in a game with tons of nostalgia and emotion, the cliche rings true: Records can be thrown out the window. Rodgers has struggled, but the all-time great quarterback is certainly more than capable of pulling out some of the magic that McCarthy saw for so many years in order to spoil his return.
The Cowboys will just have to hope that its their emotional ties to their head coach that wins out.
"He's been great, not only just for me, but for this team, and for so many others. And I've continued to say it - we're blessed to have him."
Dallas and Green Bay kickoff at 3:25 p.m. CT on Sunday.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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