Dak Prescott feels like himself again. The Cowboys quarterback can’t pinpoint the exact moment he felt he was back, but it came in recent weeks.
“Hard to say the exact day, but I’d say two weeks ago, maybe even close to a month in a sense,” Prescott said Tuesday. “Just the first time I started jumping on this leg and landing on this leg alone, cutting off this leg, doing a lot of the things that I naturally do in a game and doing them in a reactive form of not necessarily a calculated, ‘I’m going to cut here,’ but just reacting and being able to do those moves and not feeling anything and not necessarily having a nagging residual pain afterwards, I felt like then I was ready to go.”
Prescott took another step from his recovery from a gruesome right ankle injury this week by taking part in organized team activities. He worked with his teammates Monday and Tuesday and will take a recovery day Wednesday.
He is not participating in team drills but only as a precaution.
“I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily limited,” Prescott said. “I think it’s just being cautious and being smart in the fact that I’m not doing things when there’s a pass rush or guys potentially falling at the legs or something of that nature. As far as saying I can’t do drills or I can’t do something, I’m pretty much full go.”
Prescott’s compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle in Week 5 against the Giants required immediate surgery Oct. 11. He underwent a second procedure in December to strengthen the ankle.
The two-time Pro Bowler finished his fifth season with 1,856 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions in five games. He was leading the league in passing yards when he went on season-ending injured reserve.
It was a long road back to this week.
“Yeah, I mean, it felt great,” Prescott said. “After long months of recovery and just rehab, the main goal is just getting back out there with my teammates. Getting back on the field, running a huddle, building that camaraderie on the field. It was exciting yesterday and carrying over to today. So much that we can build on as a team and me personally. I’m just excited to know the game is back, and I’m able to be a part of it.”
Prescott repeatedly has declared in recent weeks that he’s ready to play a game today. He said Tuesday he trusts his ankle, and he’s pushing it.
The only thing the injury has changed for Prescott is an extended warmup “to get the leg going.”
“Not being limited or not being restricted to doing anything kind of says it alone that I’m ready to go,” Prescott said. “I don’t know as far as being tackled or the ankle being jerked and stuff under a pile obviously we’re not there yet, but we’re far from being there. I’m good to go really.”
