Cowboys' Prescott to have season-ending surgery on torn hamstring, team owner says

Dak Prescott has decided on surgery for his torn hamstring, ending the season for the franchise quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys when their playoff hopes were already fading fast.

Owner Jerry Jones said Prescott will have surgery Wednesday in New York. Jones was speaking on his radio show Tuesday.

"His prognosis is wonderful," Jones said. "It just means we're not going to have him for the rest of the year."

The decision comes a little more than a week after Prescott injured the hamstring in a 27-21 loss at Atlanta. He was on the sideline for Dallas' fourth consecutive loss, 34-6 at home to Philadelphia on Sunday.

The Cowboys (3-6) already knew they would be without last season's runner-up in NFL MVP voting for at least a month and were resigned to the outcome that was finalized after Prescott visited one more specialist.

The recovery time is at least three months, about the amount of time former Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith was sidelined after sustaining a similar injury in training camp two years ago.

Prescott's hamstring was partially torn off the bone, a condition known as partial avulsion. Surgery isn't always required in such instances, as opposed to the full tear off the bone that Smith sustained.

It's the second time in five year the 31-year-old Prescott will miss more than half the season because of an injury. He broke an ankle in Week 5 in 2020, when Dallas finished 6-10.

The Cowboys, who play Houston (6-4) at home next Monday night, are in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020. The defending NFC East champions finished 12-5 in each of three consecutive playoff seasons.

Prescott wasn't having a great year when he got hurt. He had 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions for an offense that was in the middle of the pack in the NFL after being among the league's best in the playoff years.

Cooper Rush started in Prescott's place against the Eagles but had just 45 yards passing, the fewest for a Dallas starter in a game since Matt Cassel had 37 in another lost season for the Cowboys in 2015.

Rush and Trey Lance, who briefly replaced Rush in the third quarter and came on for good later, combined for 66 passing yards. It's the fewest for Dallas since having 34 in a 10-6 loss to Tampa Bay in 2001.

Rush will start again Monday night against the Texans. The Cowboys signed Will Grier to their practice squad Tuesday. Grier was with the Cowboys from 2021-22.

Bears' Shane Waldron out after 9 games

The Chicago Bears fired offensive co-ordinator Shane Waldron, hoping to shake up a unit that ranks among the worst in the NFL.

Offensive passing game co-ordinator Thomas Brown was promoted to offensive co-ordinator.

The moves come with the Bears (4-5) mired in a three-game losing streak and the offence in a free fall after an off-season overhaul highlighted by the arrival of Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall draft pick.

Head coach Matt Eberflus said Monday changes were coming in the wake of a 19-3 loss to New England at Soldier Field, though he wasn't ready to announce them when he met with the media. He said the decision on whether to retain his offensive co-ordinator would be "mine alone."

"After evaluating our entire operation, I decided that it is in the best interest of our team to move in a different direction with the leadership of our offence. This decision was well-thought-out, one that was conducted deliberately and respectfully," Eberflus said Tuesday in a statement. "I would like to thank Shane for his efforts and wish him the best moving forward.

"Thomas is a bright offensive mind who has experience calling plays with a collaborative mindset. I look forward to his leadership over our offensive coaching staff and his plan for our players," Eberflus said.

Waldron lasted just nine games. He was hired in January to replace Luke Getsy, who was let go after two seasons. Getsy was subsequently hired as the Las Vegas Raiders' offensive coordinator and fired in November.

The Bears ranked 30th in the NFL in total offence and 24th in scoring through Sunday. Chicago has gone without a touchdown in back-to-back games for the first time since 2004. It's been 23 consecutive possessions without a TD for the Bears since they scored in the final minute at Washington in Week 8, when they lost on a Hail Mary pass by Jayden Daniels.