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The Dallas Cowboys have gotten off to a blazing start to the 2021-22 NFL season. Mike McCarthy’s team has started 5-1 and holds a commanding lead in the NFC East through seven weeks.

But the Cowboys‘ hot start has hit a snag ahead of their Sunday Night Football matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, as starting quarterback Dak Prescott has been ruled out for the contest. So, why isn’t Prescott suiting up for Dallas, and who will be taking his place under center?

Dak Prescott suffered a calf injury against the Patriots

Dak Prescott won't be active for the Cowboys' SNF clash against the Vikings.
Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys warms up before a game against the New England Patriots | by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

The Cowboys survived a thriller against the New England Patriots two weeks ago when Prescott connected with wide receiver CeeDee Lamb for a game-winning touchdown pass in overtime. But it wasn’t all positive for the NFC East leaders in New England.

After the play, Prescott limped off the field and had to be helped to the locker room by running back Ezekiel Elliott. The quarterback seemed optimistic in his postgame press conference, but uncertainty started to surface when the team diagnosed him with a right calf strain.

Prescott was limited in practice all week, which cast even more doubt about his availability on Sunday night. The Cowboys stated their QB would be a game-time decision against the Vikings based on how he fared in pregame warmups.

Dak Prescott will be inactive for Sunday Night Football due to his calf strain

Prescott went through his typical pregame routine in Minnesota on Sunday night, but he clearly didn’t look or feel healthy enough to play. A little over an hour before the scheduled kickoff, Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported in a tweet that Prescott would be inactive for the contest.

“Dak Prescott will be inactive tonight for the @dallascowboys, per source,” Mortensen wrote. “Cooper Rush will start and Will Grier will be the backup vs. the @Vikings. Pre-game warm-ups for @Dak did nothing to change expectations.”

So there you have it. Prescott, after an MVP-level start to the season, won’t be on the field for the Cowboys in their NFC matchup against the Vikings on SNF. Cooper Rush, you’re up.

Cooper Rush will make his first NFL start on SNF for the Cowboys

If you’re an avid Cowboys fan, you know the name Cooper Rush. But you might not know much about him considering he hasn’t seen the field much in his short NFL career.

Rush is now in his fourth season with the Cowboys, but he’s only attempted three passes as a professional quarterback. The Central Michigan product has completed just one of his three career pass attempts for only two yards, and that was all the way back in 2017 during his rookie season.

On Sunday night, Rush will make his first NFL start for the Cowboys, while Will Grier will serve as the backup.

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Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.