The NFL fined Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott after his postgame comments that encouraged fans who threw debris at referees.
Worst, he doubled down on his statements and took time before tweeting his apology.
While the $25,000 fine is loose change compared to his annual salary, he had no right to share such a statement.
Dak Prescott has been fined $25,000 for his postgame comments related to the game officials, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 20, 2022
His message was so harsh that the referees of the National Basketball Association urged the NFL to levy a fine on Prescott.
Understandably, he’s frustrated after their Super Wild Card Weekend loss to the San Francisco 49ers at home.
However, he has no one to blame but himself and his teammates for the lousy performance.
Losing The Entire Battle
No, the Cowboys did not lose because they ran out of time.
But if the end-of-game sequence will be their contention, those final seconds highlight poor decision-making by Dallas.
First, Prescott took too much time off the game clock after running with the ball.
There’s a reason the middle of the field was open, and he took the bait.
Dak Prescott now has the same playoff record that Tony Romo had through his first 6 seasons of being the starting QB for the Cowboys. pic.twitter.com/ds9vkCnaiX
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 18, 2022
If he slid a few seconds earlier, the Cowboys would have time to snap and spike the ball.
Second, he gave the ball to his center after his run when he should have found the umpire instead.
By rule, a team cannot execute a play until the umpire touches and spots the ball.
However, the Cowboys immediately lined up, blocking the umpire’s path.
Full @dak response to fans throwing bottles at refs. pic.twitter.com/9S5bMNA2P4
— Mark Lane (@therealmarklane) January 17, 2022
Unfortunately, that’s not where the home team lost.
They couldn’t match San Francisco’s scoring production and allowed the deficit to reach 16 points before mounting a comeback.
The Cowboys surrendered 169 rushing yards to a team that loves to run while putting up only 77 yards on the ground.
Dallas allowed five sacks on Prescott while the 49ers’ offensive line had a clean slate.
Finally, they committed 14 penalties, six of them on third down.
I deeply regret the comments I made regarding the officials after the game on Sunday.
I was caught up in the emotion of a disappointing loss and my words were uncalled for and unfair.
— Dak Prescott (@dak) January 19, 2022
In summary, the Cowboys shot themselves in the foot, giving the Niners a chance to pull off the upset.
Instead of proceeding in the playoffs, the five-time Super Bowl champions from Texas face another offseason of uncertainty.
In The Defense Of The Referees
Athletes must remind themselves of their powerful platform.
The public may either ascribe or criticize what comes out of their mouth.
Therefore, Prescott should have allowed his emotions to die down before saying anything.
Yes, referees do miss out on critical calls that can change a game’s complexion.
The NBRA condemns the comments by Dak Prescott condoning violence against game officials. As an NFL leader, he should know better. We encourage the NFL to take action to discourage this deplorable behavior in the future.
— NBA Referees (@OfficialNBARefs) January 18, 2022
But violence toward them is the last thing they deserve.
They’ve been abused enough, especially if fans or players try to look for a scapegoat for their misery.
That said, Prescott’s subtle declaration of war against game officials has no place in any sporting event, be it in the professional or amateur ranks.
Everyone makes mistakes, and Prescott already expressed regret about his words.
I hold the NFL Officials in the highest regard and have always respected their professionalism and the difficulty of their jobs.
The safety of everyone who attends a game or participates on the field of a sporting event is a very serious matter.
— Dak Prescott (@dak) January 19, 2022
However, naysayers will constantly fuel the fire, hoping to disrupt his in-game focus.
Therefore, Prescott should use this episode as motivation to do better on the field and to hold his teammates accountable.
After all, having more discipline might have helped them defeat the 49ers.
NEXT: 3 Changes The Cowboys Must Make