Dak Prescott might not have hurt his chances to cash out with the Dallas Cowboys, but he certainly didn’t help his image as a leader who makes shrewd decisions when he threw a gathering that reportedly had 30 people in attendance.
Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott are partying like it's NOT 2020 in the middle of a pandemic — hanging together for a celebration that appears to violate the Texas "safer-at-home" order. https://t.co/rzw1jiyvZm
— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) April 11, 2020
The coronavirus lockdown is real for everyone. Usually, the rich and famous are protected from the harsh consequences of social catastrophes and injustices, but COVID-19 has paralyzed the world and doesn’t discriminate based on gender, financial status, creed or color.
More than 2 million Americans have contracted the disease, including athletes such as Kevin Durant and Rudy Gobert, entertainers from Scarface to Idris Alba to Tom Hanks, politicians such as Chris Cuomo and world leaders.
In fact, athletes throughout the major sports have taken the lead on preaching the importance of social distancing, washing your hands, keeping your social circle below 10 people and staying in the house.
Prescott has refused to sign his franchise tag and is sticking firm to his contract demands. Dallas also refuses to budge until Dak lowers his asking price. Right now, it doesn’t really matter because the coronavirus has pro leagues in a virtual standstill. Eventually, this will become an issue, but the uncertain timeline and the fact that Dak is only going to miss virtual preseason seasons really just makes this good theatre right now.
You can always count on the Cowboys for that. If I’m Cowboys shot caller Stephen Jones, I also want to be able to count on my young quarterback making sound decisions. We already know that Ezekiel Elliott is capable of doing some Plaxico Burress, shoot myself in the club sh*t.
Antonio Pierce was the veteran leadership on that team, but he was slipped that night at the Copa and he didn’t stop Plax from going in the club with the burner with the Giants en route to back-to-back Super Bowls. It became the blind leading the blind. That never ends well. The gun goes off, the Giants season goes down the drain and Plax goes from the hospital to prison. He was never the same player after.
This situation doesn’t involve a gun, but potentially spreading coronavirus is equivalent to a mass weapon of destruction. Dak is supposed to be the calming influence, but he slipped up and got caught in the moment of having a birthday party in the midst of a global pandemic. A time when the government and every medical professional known to man is saying “don’t have social gatherings.”
When people do stuff like that we all suffer. Then the government mandates it, we lose our rights and eventually just living freely leads to arrests…all because Dak wants to throw a party that’s in direct violation of the Texas governor’s social distancing order.
LEADERSHIP
It’s so much more important than talent to the franchise you want to break the bank for you. Dak’s decision- making and discipline have to be called into question in this instance.
Dak denies that he had 30 people at his house and implies that it is a lie. He says he had a small gathering that was under 10 people.
I understand and accept that there are additional responsibilities and media scrutiny that come with being an NFL quarterback, but it is very frustrating and disappointing when people provide completely inaccurate information from anonymous sources, especially now,” Prescott stated.
To set the record straight — I know that we all need to do our best to socially distance and like everyone else, I am continuing to adjust to what that requires, but the truth is that I was with fewer than 10 people for a home dinner — not a party — on Friday night. I am very sensitive to the challenges we are all facing and making sure to support the first responders and medical personnel and everyone else putting in long hours.
We are all at a time when we need to keep educating ourselves about the importance of health and isolation during this pandemic and I will continue to make sure to do my part by following the guidelines until we are approved to start returning to normal activities.”
Who would make this up? And why?
If this was the first incident with Dak ignoring quarantine restrictions then maybe he could get a pass. However, NFL analyst Mike Florio already called him out for working out Dez Bryant on video early in the quarantine process.
🔬 work @drobalwayzopen pic.twitter.com/bTNtrhAOqS
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) April 7, 2020
ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS
Florio wrote a piece in which he lambastes Bryant and Prescott, who he says ”continues to disregard important restrictions to out-of-home activities as communities throughout the world try to limit the potential spread of the coronavirus.”
The NFL insider claims the two “continue to flaunt their defiance of rules that have caused millions to change their habits dramatically.
When the Cowboys launch a virtual offseason workout program next Monday, Dak won’t be participating without a new contract. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Prescott will not take part in the stay-at-home preparations for the 2020 season, unless and until he has a long-term deal.
That’s cool and most people agree that the Cowboys should just pay him. But if Jerry Jones has any reservation about Dak being capable of doing all of the little things that Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks do, then Dak’s decision to party knowing people are looking to athletes as role models for how we should approach this coronavirus pandemic, doesn’t help his financial desires.
His actions don’t reflect a guy who you can count on to make the shrewd decision under pressure. He didn’t want to sacrifice for the good of others. Dak needs to humble up a bit, get his head out of the sand. Money aside, if he wants to carry the prestige of the star then do it right, in the toughest fo times, on and off the field.
