Dak Prescott apologizes for ref comments after receiving backlash
![ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 16: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys walks off the field after losing to the San Francisco 49ers 23-17 in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at AT&T Stadium on January 16, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 16: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys walks off the field after losing to the San Francisco 49ers 23-17 in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at AT&T Stadium on January 16, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Fthelandryhat-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fgetty-images-2F2022-2F01-2F1365046980-850x560-803949d6e4587b4dc75fd6fc0cde088c20b42362af5b8af0e4d22e284493aa1b.jpg)
After the Dallas Cowboys’ brutal loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Wild Card Weekend, Dallas fans were understandably pissed. What wasn’t understandable was their choice to begin throwing trash and beer bottles on the field as players and personnel were walking into the tunnel.
Whether you believe the fans were throwing trash at players or referees doesn’t really matter. The performance of the players was embarrassing enough. The fans didn’t need to bring further shame to the franchise.
The most shocking part of this was how Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott responded when he heard about the situation. When he was first told that fans were throwing trash at players, he expressed his disappointment. Then, when he was told it may have been directed at the referees (who called 14 penalties on Dallas), the QB said, “good for them, then.” This was a surprisingly cringy look for a guy who is often seen as a leader and even-keeled man.
Furthermore, when asked to clarify in the press conference, he didn’t immediately regret his words. The backlash from the NFL community and many others quickly ensued.
Dak was wrong for what he said.
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) January 18, 2022
It's okay to admit it. https://t.co/eKYQ1gXtnV
RJ Ochoa, Manager of Blogging the Boys, knows Prescott was wrong for what he said. The QB1 even caught the attention of the NBA Referees. On Twitter, the NBRA released a comment condemning Prescott’s comments.
Dak Prescott didn’t immediately regret his comment. He will in time. That was a bad look.
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) January 17, 2022
Being upset with the officiating is perfectly fine. Saying “good for them, then” about fans throwing beer bottles at officials is another thing entirely, and is patently inappropriate.
Mike Leslie, a sports reporter in Dallas, also shared that he thought the comments from Dak were a bad look.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott apologizes for comments about fans throwing trash at referees
Whether it was because of the backlash he received or it was because he truly felt sorry (or both), we will never know. But, Prescott did issue a lengthy apology on social media two days after the game.
The quarterback said the emotions after the loss caused him to say what he said, but he also recognized that his words were uncalled for.
Dak Prescott apologized for his comment about Cowboys fans throwing trash at the refs following the team's playoff loss. pic.twitter.com/RL2WD6wTNH
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 19, 2022
Losing in the postseason in an incredibly heartbreaking way is definitely cause for frustration. But for the bulk of his career, Prescott has always remained poised and professional. Even when many were asking him about a “slump” in the final weeks of the regular season, he remained composed in his answers.
These comments about the refs were a rare lowlight for the QB who is also the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award nominee. Hopefully the apology is well received.