FRISCO, Texas — Multiple sources said Dak Prescott has been cleared to play in Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings but his status remains a game-time decision as the Cowboys take a cautious approach to the health of their franchise quarterback.
Prescott received platelet-rich plasma injections for his strained right calf muscle earlier this week to help in the healing process, multiple sources said.
Prescott did more rehab work during Saturday morning’s practice, which helped the training staff’s decision to clear his return to action. The Cowboys, however, want to see how Prescott is feeling on Sunday morning before making a final call, a source said.
If Prescott is unable to play, backup Cooper Rush will make his first career start against the Vikings. Rush has taken the majority of the first-team reps in practices in preparation for the game.
Officially, Prescott was listed as questionable for the Halloween night game at U.S. Bank Stadium. On Oct. 17, he strained his calf on the final play before the bye week when tossing a 35-yard touchdown to CeeDee Lamb in overtime vs. the New England Patriots.
The strain is located in the right leg, where Prescott suffered an open ankle fracture and dislocation on Oct. 11, 2020.
Prescott has made it clear he wants to play.
“If it was my call and it was totally up to me, yes,” Prescott said Thursday. “But this is something I agree with the experts. I don’t want it to linger. I don’t want this to be week after week, are we going through this? To me, it’s just about getting better, controlling what I can.”
Prescott also said that if this were a playoff game, he “100 percent no question” would play.
Prescott’s teammates said he looked good in practice this week and they expect him to play against the Vikings.
”I don’t see why not,” wide receiver Amari Cooper said. “But I am not making that decision.”
Dallas enters Week 8 with a commanding NFC East lead. The club is 5-1, having rattled off five straight wins before its bye. By comparison, the Washington Football Team, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants are all 2-5.
“The way that I think, I don’t think I ever took myself out of this game,” Prescott said in response to a question about when he started to feel better. “It was early. I’d say Sunday or Monday evening or something like that was a big step in my head mentally, just the things that I started doing. The way that I started moving. I felt like I could get out here and play in a game and be ready to go.”
