10 years ago today, Cowboys QB Dak Prescott lost “the person who has had the biggest influence on my life: my mother, Peggy.”
10 years ago today, Peggy began to live on—so palpably, so poignantly—through Dak & loved ones.
I spoke with them to learn more:
Travis Kelce asked Taylor Swift where Jason was. Then, he and Jason had an emotional reunion
“Finish that motherf***er,” Jason told him as Taylor stepped aside to give them their moment.
Taylor Swift told Tony Romo he does a great job. Sounded like he told her she’s even better, to which she replied: “We’re doing very different things, aren’t we? It’s a different skill set.”
Jerry Jones on why he's so adamant about COVID-19 vaccine: "Everyone has a right to make their own decisions regarding their health & their body...until your decision as to yourself impacts negatively many others.
"We have got to check ‘I’ at the door & go forward with ‘we’."
Josh Allen pauses with emotion when describing postgame field scene, Patrick Mahomes running to find him.
"He throws the winning touchdown and comes right over to find me," Allen tells us. "To be in that situation and do that was pretty cool of him."
Andy Reid says Travis Kelce caught him off balance with his shove, told Reid to put him in and he’d score.
Travis credited Andy not only as play caller but also for helping him learn to manage his emotions. “I owe entire my career to that guy.”
Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott began wearing cancer patient Jake Silver’s “Silver Strong” orange bracelet rookie year. He still wears it every practice and game. Today, Zeke got Jake’s family tickets to game
Patriots RB Ezekiel Elliott says playing with snow in his eyes was tricky. Visibility trickier than temperature
Zeke: When I was younger, always wanted to play a game in the snow. Now that I’ve played a game in the snow, it kind of sucks.
DeMarcus Lawrence was asked if it’s fair to say he wants Cowboys to sign Odell Beckham Jr.
“It’s fair to say I’m trying to reach a Super Bowl,” he said. “So if he can come and help us with that, then yes, I’ll accept him. But if we’re just gonna do the circus, no I don’t.”
Cowboys DE DeMarcus Lawrence on QB Dak Prescott: "I believe Dak is going to own the moment. He's going to show y'all what he really is about and going to take this playoffs by storm."
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott lost 31-year-old brother, Jace, in April.
Dak: "I have the obligation to live on and carry on another legacy. So now it's not just my mother, it's my brother as well. I will continue to do that in every walk of my life."
Cowboys WR Michael Gallup's in touch with Dak Prescott but doesn't ask him about transitioning to Dalton, DiNucci. Talks family, healing, spirits. Says football's the last thing he wants to ask Dak when Dak can't participate.
I always love Gallup's emotional intelligence
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott lost his mom, Peggy, 6 years ago today.
"I don’t think many things happen by accident,” Dak told me. “She said, ‘Allow me to be your story.' Next thing you know, I’m QB of the most successful franchise in all of sports. I don’t think that’s by chance.”
Andrew Luck texted Cowboys WR T.Y. Hilton after big 52-yarder on 3rd&30.
“Man, I’m so proud,” Luck said. “I’m so happy to see you back out there playing.”
T.Y.: “He always wanted me to get back out there & play. So it was funny to get a text from him & we just kind of chatted.”
Always love the
@dallascowboys
mic'd up sideline clips. This is particularly fun, Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott coaching up Tony Pollard during 49ers game:
Cowboys secondary coach/pass game coordinator Joe Whitt has coached 16 years in NFL. Micah Parsons is first player he's felt would start at safety on all 32 teams, linebacker on all 32 teams, defensive end on all 32 teams, running back on all 32 teams & tight end on all 32 teams.
Michael Penix Jr. said it would be hard to explain how he broke down film for teams…and then gave us an excellent example of how he broke down film for teams:
We're talking with Cowboys QB Dak Prescott right now. Important to him not to hide mental health challenges. Without mental health, can't lead. Not just about looking tough.
"No," Dak said, "I think that’s a fake leader. Being a leader is about being genuine and being real."
I asked Cowboys LB Micah Parsons why it was important to him to bring 3-year-old son Malcolm to NFL Honors.
"So he visualizes what success is and visualizes his goals," Micah said. "Doesn’t have to be a football player. He can be anything..(But) he has to give it all he’s got."
More Jews were killed Saturday than on any day since the Holocaust in 1945.
The NFL and 12 teams have since condemned Hamas's terrorist attacks.
I didn't expect such solidarity and support. So often in Jewish history, we've found silence. I'm grateful:
Jason Garrett said watching Cowboys QB Dak Prescott go down "just makes you sick."
“I really feel sad," Garrett told
@usatodaysports
. "Dak’s a true inspiration to so many and I put myself at the top of that list. I love him to death."
Micah Parsons on Trevon Diggs sealing Cowboys' final defensive stop: "That was huge. We even said that was the hardest we’ve ever seen Diggs tackle. He shot out like a cannon. I was proud of him.
"When I saw 7, I was shocked. That was huge momentum. Way to get off the field."
6 months ago, Cowboys DE Randy Gregory was working at an Amazon distribution center making $15.50/hr. And he was happy.
"Happy I was making an honest living," Gregory told
@usatodaysports
. "Happy that I was waking up every day with some kind of purpose."
Just in: Cowboys DE Randy Gregory is a Pro Bowl alternate, sources confirm to
@usatodaysports
.
Meaningful recognition for a player who’s battled on and off field to get his mind and body right. 6 sacks, 15 QBH, 3 FF and INT in 9 games healthy this year.
Cowboys WR Michael Gallup’s mom saw his leaping TD. Told him it looked like when he ran from spankings growing up.
“Mom’s always got jokes,” Gallup said.
Ben DiNucci saw Dak Prescott at Cowboys HQ yesterday. Told Dak: "This isn't what you said my rookie year would be like!"
Dak gave DiNucci a hug and told him he'd be great, to be himself, same game he's played his whole life.
Falcons TE Hayden Hurst battled anxiety and depression then started mental health support foundation.
Mic-ed up yesterday, Hurst thanked Dak for speaking up 🙏🏽
(Via
@AtlantaFalcons
)
Dan Quinn on game ball from Cowboys > Falcons: "When you get fired midyear, it’s hard. You’re embarrassed. You’re pissed. But..the hardest part is to not be on a team.
"Man, what a good feeling to know there’s a whole army of people that got your back."
Cowboys expect to suit up DeMarcus Lawrence, Randy Gregory and Micah Parsons this week.
"It’s scary," Micah said. "The three-headed monster, you could say. It’s going to be exciting."
Micah Parsons on not joining
@undisputed
yesterday: "As my starting QB went down and we lost, I just didn’t think it was appropriate for me to be on a show at that point. At this time..I need to step up and be a leader. It shouldn’t be on TV, it should be in this locker room."
How many people tuned in for the thrilling Cowboys OT win at Patriots?
23.2 million viewers, per CBS, with a peak at 29.7 million toward exciting end.
This was the most-watched
@NFLonCBS
national game since October 2015.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott broke out into a big smile and solo round of applause when he heard Damar Hamlin was responsive, writing.
"Happy as can be," Dak said. "Prayer is powerful. God is great."
22-year-old Leighton Vander Esch to 39-year-old Drew Brees after game: “Dude, I’ve looked up to you pretty much my whole life.”
The Cowboys rookie LB told Brees it was an “absolute blessing” to play him
When in doubt, interview 5 year olds.
I caught up with Aaiden Diggs on the all-important question of whether he’s intercepted a pass himself yet, and what he wants people to know about his 11-INT dad Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs:
Aaiden Diggs feeling the love visiting his dad Trevon at Cowboys camp.
"Every time I'm with my dad I love it because he gets me picks and it makes me happy," 5-year-old Aaiden said. "I love the whole world, I love God and Jesus, and I love my family.”
When Alabama coach Nick Saban first told Trevon Diggs to move from WR to CB, he cried.
He was hurt and called his brother, NFL WR Stefon, who told him to get to work.
Now: Trevon has a massive 6 INTs in 5 games. Message to Saban: “Thanks.”
If Ezekiel Elliott holdout ends today, there will be something wonderfully biblical about the Cowboys running back wandering in holdout wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights
Welp. Cowboys already down two starting CBs to season-ending injuries. Now, starting safety Jayron Kearse just helped off field during pregame warmups.
(🎥 :
@nickeatman
)
Tony Pollard said he thinks fellow Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott was first one to reach out about TP’s Pro Bowl selection.
“I think they announced it at 8 and he probably hit me up at like 8:01,” Tony said. “He’s the most team-first guy you can think of.”
49ers QB Brock Purdy on Cowboys: “They had a great front. I thought their secondary was really talented & skilled. All-around their scheme was really good too. So I do think it was one of the best defenses that I’ve seen, that our team has seen this year.”
Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott says on Twitch that he feels "good" and "normal" after positive COVID-19 test.
Zeke said he had symptoms including cough, shortness of breath for 1-2 days. Can't work out yet but he's feeling much better.
Most sacks by an NFL player in first 18 games of his career:
1) Micah Parsons—17.0
2) Aldon Smith—16.5
T-3) Joey Bosa—16.0
T-3) Clay Matthews—16.0
T-5) John Abraham—15.5
T-5) Simeon Rice—15.5
Cowboys LB Micah Parsons about as down in postgame locker room as I've seen him in 2 years. Felt D let offense down.
"We have to do better for them. I felt like we let them down today. It’s weighing on me heavy because the type of pride I hold for this defense.
"It hurts a lot."
Michael Gallup lost a brother suddenly in 2018. This year, Dak Prescott did. No 2 tragedies same. But Gallup reached out.
"When it happened to me, I needed a little bit of space, but I also needed people there for me as well," Gallup said. "I let him know I was in his corner."
Dak celebrates every touchdown by kissing his finger and pointing up to the sky, a tribute to his late mother Peggy.
No different during the worst moment of his pro career. As he enters tunnel, Dak points up to sky
(via
@dallascowboys
)
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott has lost his mother to cancer, brother to suicide. He’s suffered compound fracture & dislocation to right ankle. Now, he needs surgery for joint above his thumb.
“It’s not the worst thing that’s happened to me,” Dak says. “Just another bump in the road.”
Micah Parsons on Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs: "Trevon don’t just play the position. He’s a gambler. People try to bash him for it. But when it works, it works.
"I like Trevon 9 out of 10 times against anybody in the world."
The Cowboys will host a "major business announcement press conference" this Wednesday with Jerry Jones and special VIP guests, they say.
What are y'all guessing?
As Cowboys emerge from tunnel, Dak Prescott is first to run the length of the field to opposite end zone. Moment of prayer, trademark kiss skyward to honor his late mother. Then: game time.