Prescott Elliot Making Americas Team Great Again
We all know about the Dallas Cowboys. They're as much a part of our national consciousness as apple pie. And good Lord, we love apple pie. Decade later decade, that Blue Star draws u.s.a. to it. The fascination started with winning football – those five Vince Lombardi Trophies tell that role of the story – but let's exist real: The relationship is well-nigh much, much more. For the straight-laced amidst us, zippo says buttoned-down like the late Tom Landry'south fedora. Roger Staubach went from issuing commands in Vietnam to engineering fourth-quarter comebacks. In Texas, a state where football game is darn nearly a religion, the Cowboys have the largest flock. Nosotros've come to wait a certain type of await by the quarterback who leads it. But the game has changed.
The new face of America's Team is a biracial, tatted-up, whip-smart, unflappable 23-year-old, who in about the time it takes to open the roof at AT&T Stadium went from beingness a let's-see-what-the-unheralded-rook-tin can-do emergency starter to The Homo on the NFL'south hottest social club. Prescott'due south stunning rise (remember, dude was a 4th-round pick whom the Cowboys backed into) has been the talk of the league – and the chat hasn't been confined to his success on the field. To even the non-woke, it'south obvious that the Cowboys are in a new place. That means the rest of the NFL is, too.
Just glance at any credible listing of professional sport's most valuable franchises. It won't take long to find the Cowboys: They're No. i. Dallas plays its dwelling games in a $1.15-billion grown-folks amusement park masquerading as a sports venue. They don't call it Jer-ruh World for nothing. Their all the same-under-construction new team headquarters is merely role space in the same manner that the Roman Colosseum is but a bunch of old bricks. The Cowboys practice everything big. That team is at present Prescott's team.
The showtime bruh to star at quarterback for Dallas – the others who came through were generally short-term backups, though ane was a high-round pick and onetime heir credible to a three-time Super Bowl winner – is adding an unexpected chapter to the story of America's Team, at a time when America looks much scarier to people of colour than information technology did but a few weeks ago. Simply like the timing on Prescott'due south deep balls, he has arrived as if almost on cue.Warren Moon has stayed upwards on what'southward going down in Dallas. And he'south definitely feeling the modify.
"We're in 2016, and even afterward all these years, nobody has actually taken that title of America's Team from them," the Hall of Fame passer said on the phone the other twenty-four hours. "And when you're America'due south Team, when that'southward how a lot of people who beloved the game view your squad, that'south going to hateful something to a lot of people.
"Everybody knows their history. Everybody knows the [Bluish] Star. In that location's significance behind it. Then to take Dak Prescott leading them, and the way he has washed it, that's a bold statement. It'south besides something people are going to think about for a lot of reasons."
epa05610631 Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (C) passes the brawl in the first half of the NFL game betwixt the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, USA, xxx October 2016. EPA/LARRY W. SMITH
Tony Romo was finished. Both literally and figuratively. Information technology but took virtually five minutes for the quondam face up of the Cowboys to officially pass the torch to the new ane.
The transfer of power occurred early terminal week during a news briefing in which Romo, 36, read from a prepared statement. The ten-twelvemonth Cowboys' starter and four-time Pro Bowler reaffirmed he was fully healed from the dorsum injury he suffered Aug. 25, but Prescott had "earned the right to be our quarterback."
Say what?
Possessor Jerry Jones' guy stood at a lectern and surrendered one of the plumb jobs in all of sports? The Cowboys' QB gig is as prestigious as playing center field for the New York Yankees. It attracts the spotlight like running the indicate for the Los Angeles Lakers. In that location are sure jobs that once you lot're in them, you just don't resign without a fight. Romo knows. He waited until a past-his-prime Drew Bledsoe left the door ajar – then Romo kicked it in. The irony of the situation is downright delicious. Romo was unexpectedly usurped by someone who burst onto the scene much similar he did way back when.
Certain, by all objective criteria, Prescott should take remained nether middle regardless of Romo'due south status. The information supporting the logic is overwhelming:
- The Cowboys (9-1) have the NFL'southward best record
- They've won a squad record ix straight
- Prescott has displayed off-the-charts decision-making
- And he ranks amongst the league's best passers statistically.
Despite the flashing red arrows pointing to maintaining the condition quo, it notwithstanding was a Texas-sized stunner that Romo backed Prescott and then strongly. Recall virtually it: When was the last time a star chosen a news conference to say a black man is the better man for his job?
Blackness excellence strikes fear into the hearts of those who long for a bygone era that black folk have no interest in reliving. A youngblood ascension upward in the office can wreak havoc on the workplace surround. Merely Prescott has been then dope in the most important job on the NFL's glamour team, his excellence couldn't be denied. It was so clear, in fact, that Romo decided to publicly endorse his successor despite knowing he would likely be signaling his exit from the company before long. No matter the field, we oasis't seen that occur much when bruhs are involved. If at all, USC law professor Jody David Armour said.
Armour, who studies the intersection of race and legal decision-making, is part of a growing number of scholars who are concerned almost the racial climate in the country after the presidential election. The black excellence Prescott has exhibited, on such a 1000 platform, is needed at present more than than ever.
"At that place'southward a special irony to having a blackness homo as the quarterback of America'due south Team after the ballot of Donald Trump every bit president," Armour said on the phone recently. "Dak Prescott doing what he'southward doing now is monumental not only in Texas … but potentially all over the country because so many people follow Dallas Cowboys football. He's in a position where he can claiming some long-standing stereotypes nearly the intellect of blacks and what blacks are capable of."
Moon, the Hall of Famer, is in pro football'south most selective guild. Doug Williams and Russell Wilson won Super Bowls. Cam Newton was terminal season's NFL MVP. Black quarterbacks have been getting information technology done for a minute now. Still, that doesn't mean the NFL is a post-racial utopia. The lack of multifariousness from the front office to the field shows the league has enough of work to exercise on that front. The most high-profile players carry the nigh weight. A Dallas Cowboys star QB has much juice.
Information technology's not fifty-fifty nearly whether Prescott chooses to take stances on social problems such equally woke San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Just past continuing to excel for a franchise with the iconic brand, "Prescott could actually compliment what Kaepernick and others are doing," Armour said. "It's near people looking at someone in such a prominent role and possibly irresolute beliefs that they concur, or at least reconsidering them. At the very to the lowest degree, a black quarterback running America'due south Squad in Trump's America is going to create a lot of cognitive dissonance."
During the Cowboys' winning streak, their locker room has been like a Super Bowl political party. Reporters from all over the country have descended on Dallas to get a piece of the story. Every bit the top performers are interviewed after games, downwards-roster players take to navigate television set cameras and microphones just to get back to their dressing stalls. As Romo dressed post-obit the squad's record-setting ninth sequent victory – 27-17 over the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 20 – the crowd around him grew ridiculously big.
Active for the first fourth dimension this flavor, Romo served equally Prescott's backup. There were so many questions. What was Romo feeling? Did he regret making the argument? Was the whole situation harder than he envisioned? On that day, no answers would be provided.
Since stepping aside for Prescott, Romo has declined to speak with reporters. After the game, he politely waved them off. From Prescott'southward perspective, it's all proficient between the Cowboys' Nos. i and 2 QBs.
"He is as helpful every bit he has ever been," Prescott said after dropping dimes everywhere while completing 18 of his final xix passes in a three-touchdown, 301-k passing performance.
"He is giving me feedback, helping me out and telling me things we need to do hither and there. … Zippo has changed."
In actuality, a lot has. Veteran Dallas running back Alfred Morris thought he had pretty much seen everything in the NFL. He sure didn't encounter Romo'due south move coming.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) acknowledges fans every bit he walks off the field after their NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
"Just think about what he did," said Morris, even so surprised days later. "He's been a starter here for the by ten years. He'due south had a lot of success. And then to come out and say what he said for the good of the team … that'south not piece of cake. In a sense, it's well-nigh admitting defeat.
"That would be tough on everyone to do. And non just anybody in sports. It would be tough on anyone in whatever occupation to come out and say that about a job you lot love. Merely he obviously felt it was important to solidify that Dak is the guy and to rally effectually Dak. …That says a lot about Dak."
It's nigh equally if everything has unfolded too smoothly. There'southward got to be some fume somewhere. Right? And not because this is barbecue land. You lot'd think there'd at least be a niggling resentment in the locker room toward Prescott. Later all, Romo hasn't been some and so-and then QB: He's the all-fourth dimension franchise leader in passing yards and touchdowns. Despite the Cowboys' (many) playoff failures since Romo became the starter –he'due south ii-4 in the postseason – most NFL owners would gladly have had him lead their teams. And then again, Romo'due south poor health ruined the Cowboys' 2022 flavour. Prescott, meanwhile, has never acted his age. He comes in early on and stays late. He takes full advantage of his time on the practice field and in the motion-picture show room. Pro Basin tight end Jason Witten has been watching. Prescott gets his stamp.
"Dak acts like he's been here for a long fourth dimension," Witten said. "The way he prepares, the manner he trusts the people around him and takes buying of his mistakes … everyone noticed that right from the beginning."
Although Romo is admired in the system, it wouldn't be surprising if some of his teammates idea to themselves, "Here we go again," after he was injured back in the preseason. There's an quondam proverb in football: Your best power is your availability. The past ii seasons, Romo has been unavailable a lot. If anyone did stand up on the table for Romo to get his task back, we haven't heard about it. Calvin Loma says nosotros won't.
A longtime squad consultant in the Cowboys' player development program, Hill observed early on on that players gravitate to Prescott. It's chosen natural leadership. Prescott has the locker room behind him. With each victory, the vibe has merely grown stronger.
"Everyone knows what's going on, including Tony, and there's no quarterback controversy at all," said Hill, the first running back in Cowboys history to blitz for at to the lowest degree 1,000 yards in a single flavor and the father of former seven-time NBA All-Star Grant Hill.
"They empathise what information technology must be like for Tony. They know it's not like shooting fish in a barrel. They exercise. Just they likewise understand what Dak has washed. You lot run across it with your own eyes. That'southward why there's a great feeling in that locker room. Dak has been so skilful … just as well good to ignore it."
Ezekiel Elliott paused to consider his answer. The rookie running back had only finished his weekly news conference belatedly last calendar month, but he made time for one more question: Does Prescott truly get where he's at?
Elliott would know. Quickly, he and Prescott became boys. They room together on the road, cutting up during downwards time and have each other'south backs. Always.
Prescott is much more reserved than the ebullient Elliott. Prescott rarely shows his cards, but "he'south really smart, not just football smart, and he definitely knows who he is and what's going on around him," said Elliott, the NFL'south leading rusher and Prescott's main competitor for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
"He's not going to go into all of that [with reporters]. He keeps his focus on the squad and doing his job. But that doesn't hateful he's not thinking about certain things."
Cowboys history is ane of Prescott's favorite topics. Since childhood, Prescott has rooted for Dallas. Whatsoever Cowboys-jersey-wearing fan worth one'south salt should be well aware of the legacy of Hall of Famers Roger Staubach, a Usa Naval Academy graduate who served in the armed forces before joining the team, and Troy Aikman, the start QB in NFL history to win iii Super Bowl titles in four seasons. Notwithstanding, few probably know much nigh how Reggie Collier, Rodney Peete, Randall Cunningham, Anthony Wright and Quincy Carter fared for the Boys. All were African-American quarterbacks who had stints with the squad.Collier was the kickoff. In a six-game NFL career, he started ane game for Dallas during the 1986 season. Peete and Wright were journeymen. Cunningham was a star with the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings. Past the fourth dimension Cunningham arrived in Dallas, he was in the twilight of his career. Carter was supposed to be Prescott before Prescott.In hopes of replacing Aikman, who retired after the 2000 flavour, the Cowboys used their first option in the 2001 draft, the 53rd overall, to get the quondam University of Georgia standout. At times, Carter balled out, even leading Dallas to a ten-6 tape and a playoff berth in 2003. However, Carter couldn't exit of his ain manner. He was released after the season. When the Cowboys' Hill watches Prescott, he sees the guy he, and others like him, accept been waiting for.
"The fact that he's black, to me as a black person, is significant," Hill said. "I call back what it was like for [black NFL quarterbacks in the by]. I tin can't forget that. And Dak, with what he's been through, understands that."
Prescott is from Louisiana. He played quarterback at Mississippi State. He'south the production of a black father and a white mother (she died from cancer in 2013). From a racial perspective, Prescott has experienced a lot, "which has made him a tough kid," Loma said. "It also has made him a very interesting kid.
"The fashion he looks at things, being from the South, playing quarterback in the Southeastern Briefing and what he went through with his family, all that has helped him. Information technology helped him become to this point. It volition aid him go on going."
Prescott figures to go much farther than whatever black human who has ever led the Cowboys. He wasn't the kickoff one. But it definitely looks like he could be The Ane.
Source: https://theundefeated.com/features/dak-prescott-dallas-cowboys/
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