Dak Prescott “close to 100 percent” and “feeling game-ready”

[Rowdy]

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Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said Tuesday that Dak Prescott has made “a lot of progress” in the quarterback’s rehab. Prescott confirmed that Wednesday, telling Tiki and Tierney that he is nearing a full recovery.

“I’m excited. I’m back. I’m healthy,” Prescott said. “I’m getting close to being 100 percent. I’m feeling game-ready. It was a challenge, but it’s part of it. I’ve taken it; I’ve embraced it, and I’ll be a better player at the end of it.”

It remains unknown whether Prescott will participate in on-field work during the team’s organized team activities. But his full participation in training camp doesn’t seem in doubt.

Prescott underwent immediate surgery Oct. 11 for a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle and required a second surgery in December to strengthen the ankle.

“It wasn’t damaging. It was challenging,” Prescott said. “Obviously when you’re immersed in something like that you’ve got to find and dig within yourself and be resilient and just know I have an amazing support system starting obviously with my family, my friends and then going to the Cowboys and just the fan base. Just digging deeper, finding out more about myself. It wasn’t damaging. It was challenging, and I accepted the challenge.”

Prescott played last season under the franchise tag, so it was unknown at the time how the injury would affect contract negotiations with the Cowboys. It didn’t.

He signed a four-year, $160 million deal with an NFL-record $126 million in guaranteed money this offseason.

But Prescott said he never thought about his contract as he was carted off the field.

“No. Not at all. I’ve never played this game for the rewards and everything that comes with it,” Prescott said. “I play the game to be the best at what I do and play the most elite team game at the highest of levels. So just that moment right there being carted off and tears in my eyes was all about knowing that my season was done, that I wasn’t going to be able to finish that game and finish the rest of my season with my teammates. It hurts thinking about it now. But never in a million years did I think about money that was potentially up for grabs that I didn’t get. The game’s never been about money for me.”

Of course, Prescott turned down previous offers by the Cowboys over almost two years of negotiations before agreeing to what arguably is the best deal in NFL history. So if money didn’t mean anything to him, Prescott would have signed the first deal that the Cowboys offered.

All NFL players play the game for money, including Prescott.