Dak Prescott Hamstring Surgery Wouldn't Necessarily End His Season: Dr. Chao

It looks kind of bleak right now for Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, and we're not even talking about his team's disappointing 3-5 record.

Prescott is reportedly getting multiple opinions on an injury the Dallas Morning News reported is a partial avulsion of the right hamstring. The newspaper said Prescott is considering season-ending surgery.

But, with respect to the reporting, OutKick medical expert Dr. David Chao says surgery would not be a season-ending procedure.

Prescott Injury to Tendon Not Hamstring

"This is a different injury than a typical hamstring muscle strain because it involves the tendon. It is more than partial, it is a complete avulsion of one of the three hamstring muscle tendons and surgery's on the table and this is going to be six weeks at least," Dr. Chao said.

So, following that surgery, would Prescott be done for the year?

"No," Dr. Chao said. "That's what makes it unusual, because it's not a repair, it's a resection surgery. He still could come back this year. The Cowboys may be done with him for the year, but not because he can't come back.

"Even with surgery, if the Cowboys are alive in [Week 17, or Week 18], he could come back. Medically, even with surgery, he's not done for the season."

It would be a decision on the part of the team and the player if he's done for the season. And that probably depends on whether the Cowboys rally from their current record with backup quarterback Cooper Rush.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - NOVEMBER 03:  Cooper Rush #10 of the Dallas Cowboys walk off the field after a loss to the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on November 03, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Can Cooper Rush Rally Cowboys?

The Cowboys have a 5-1 record in games Rush started in 2021 and 2022. And, granted, those were different Dallas teams. But the point is we're saying there's a chance.

"If the Cowboys are alive, Dak Prescott is in play to return before the end of the regular season," Dr. Chao said.

If Prescott doesn't have surgery, Dr. Chao says Prescott could return in 4-to-6 weeks. But, the founder of Sports Injury Central, adds the injury could continue to bother the quarterback the rest of the season and keep him from playing well or at all.

"Doing surgery, you're saying, ‘Now we’re locking in six weeks,' " Dr. Chao said. "That's why he's getting second opinions."

Explaining Dak's Tendon Injury

Prescott's hamstring injury isn't like most that fans are familiar with. The actual muscle is not the problem in this case. It's the tendon.

 "The hamstring, like all muscles, are attached at both ends," Dr. Chao explained. "It's attached with a tendon. The hamstring is attached by a tendon behind the knee. Avulsion means the tree got pulled out by the roots as opposed a branch is broken. It's pulled out by the root."

And there is no such thing as a partial avulsion.

"It's fully avulsed, but it's probably one of the three tendons fully avulsed," Dr. Chao said. "So that's why they're saying partial. There's no such thing as partial avulsion, so to speak.

"It's avulsed, but it's most likely one of the three hamstrings, most likely the semitendinosis."

The hamstring muscles that end in a tendon are the semitendinosus, semimembranosis and gracilis. They all attach behind the knee.

"Normal hamstrings almost never need surgery because it's a muscle injury and there's good blood flow and good healing," Dr. Chao said. "And there's nothing to sow. Tendon injuries start to get into surgery territory."