Dak Prescott, quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, was ruled out of the Week 3 Monday Night Football game against the New York Giants. The 29-year-old fractured a bone in his throwing hand during the season opener.  

His backup Cooper Rush make his third career start at the MetLife Stadium on Monday. Todd Archer of ESPN reported that Prescott is scheduled to have stitches removed from his surgically repaired right thumb before the game. His return to action is predicted on his grip strength. 

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NFL Insider Ian Rapoport predicts that the quarterback will be back in the starting lineup for the Cowboys’ October 16 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Dallas have not placed him on injured reserve, hence a Week 4 or Week 5 return is a possibility. 

The quarterback got hurt in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys’ 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Prescott’s right hand made contact with rushing linebacker Shaquil Barrett when throwing a pass. The 29-year-old said that he thought he had just jammed a finger but then realized that he could not grip the ball. 

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After initially being checked on the sideline, he jogged to the locker room and had X-rays. Rush finished the game.

“I’ve hit my hand on helmets or bodies a lot in my career and never had anything, maybe a jammed finger and actually thought that is what it was,” Prescott said. “Told the trainers the same thing, I can’t grip (the ball), I feel like if you yank it, I’ll be OK. Came in and got X-rays, and things are different.”

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Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the injury is above his thumb, and behind the joint, and he pointed to an area between his own thumb and wrist.

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Prescott’s 2020 season ended in the fifth week because of a gruesome ankle injury. He returned last season to throw for 4,449 yards and 37 touchdowns as the Cowboys won the NFC East before losing their first-round playoff game to San Francisco at home.