Quincy Carter Comments on Dak Prescott, Reflects on 'Humbling' Dallas Cowboys Career
Upon arriving to the Dallas Cowboys as a second-round pick in the 2001 NFL Draft, quarterback Quincy Carter took on one of the hardest jobs in sports ... and that was after he ended his career as a two-sport athlete.
After spending four years in the Chicago Cubs' system, Carter was one of the faces of new-century Cowboys football. He served as the franchise quarterback for three seasons, including year one of the Bill Parcells era which yielded 10 wins and ended a three-year playoff drought.
Carter spoke with veteran sportswriter Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson about his time in Dallas, referring to his tenure at the top of the passing depth chart as "humbling." ... and spoke about today's Dallas QB Dak Prescott.
Carter was the third of 11 throwers chosen in the draft, arriving behind Michael Vick (1st, Atlanta) and Drew Brees (32nd, San Diego). The former Bulldog recalled that the Cowboys were "a little stand-offish," particularly after scrutiny was raised by a thumb injury during his junior year in Athens.
But he said that the Cowboys and Oakland Raiders were nonetheless intrigued by what he had to offer.
"The Raiders and the Cowboys were the top two teams," Carter recalled. "The Cowboys told my agent before the NFL Draft - RIP, Eugene Parker - that they were going to draft me ... He (assured) me that Jerry (Jones) was going to say something and go out on a limb ... but it was a matter of when they were going to get me.
"They kept trading down and by the time the Oakland Raiders were close enough, pick-wise and order-wise, the Cowboys went and got me with that 53rd Pick in the second round."
Carter spent three seasons as the Cowboys' primary quarterback
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At that time, Dallas was in a period of offensive transition, as future Hall-of-Famer Troy Aikman had retired less than two weeks before the draft. Carter said there was no "passing of the torch" conversation between himself and the three-time champion but that he immediately bonded with some of the team's turn-of-the-century playmakers.
"Rocket Ismail was the OG of the locker room not only for myself, but a lot of other younger guys," Carter said. "Rocket Man ... was one special dude and is one special friend to this day ... it wasn’t so all just football but the game of life and having a relationship with God was very instrumental.
"Me and Joey Galloway (also) became really close. Joey’s a little different, you know? He wasn’t the most vocal guy, but when you got to really meet him on a personal level, Joey was a special dude. Darren Woodson was another OG in the locker room and had us around."
Carter also offered shoutouts to fullback Richie Anderson and linebacker Dexter Coakley, while also fondly recalling that Deion Sanders, engaged in a temporary retirement, also offered mentorship during frequent visits to the Cowboys facility.
In Dallas lore, Carter is perhaps best known for his work in the aforementioned 2003 campaign, surviving the heavy scrutiny that comes with a Bill Parcells-run system. Dallas' 10-6 record in year one of Parcells' oversight was its first winning season since 1998 and he posted some standout performances along the way: he threw for a career-best 321 yards in a thrilling Week 2 Monday night win over the New York Giants and later earned 254 and two scores in an upset win over future NFC champion Carolina (who'd eventually end the Cowboys' season in the Wild Card round). At the time, Carter was just the fourth Dallas passer to throw for at least 3,000 yards in a single season.
Carter was set to return in Year 2 of the Parcells era but was abruptly released in the wake of a failed drug test and the reputation would follow him throughout the rest of his career. He spent the 2004 campaign with the New York Jets before working his way through the indoor football circuits. Carter's departure paved the way for the Cowboys' reserve quarterback Tony Romo to make the roster and eventually take over as the franchise man in 2006.
Looking at the current Cowboys, Carter is eager to see his successor Dak Prescott take the next step he didn't have the opportunity to earn ... but he better embrace it soon.
"As much as I love Dak Prescott and everything that he’s done for that franchise in the last nine years, it’s time that he takes that next step," Carter said. "I’m sure that he knows that and I’m sure anybody will tell you that I’m the biggest Dak Prescott fan that they’d be looking at right now, but it’s time for them to take that next step."
"But it’s also time for the defense to continue to keep taking that next step because I think that they a step back against the 49ers this year in the regular season. Now last year, they played them pretty well in that playoff game so, now it’s time for everybody to gel and come together."
