Dak Prescott may have wished he could have listened to his words after the Cowboys’ loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the playoffs.
Prescott instead got caught up in the moment following the Cowboys/49ers game. This led to some questionable comments toward NFL referees. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Prescott received a $25,000 penalty from the NFL.
The controversy surrounding the Cowboys and 49ers’ final revealed the truth about NFL officiating. Prescott expressed his full support for Cowboys fans throwing garbage onto the field. This was directed at the referees.
Although many thought the Cowboys players were being pelted by fans, they had just completed a promising season with an early NFL Playoff exit. DeMarcus Lawrence, who was accidentally hit by trash, said that the fans were actually pelting referees and not the players. Prescott’s response?
Prescott stated, “Credit to them.”
Prescott issued Tuesday an apology for the incident, accepting responsibility for his ill-advised response.
“I hold the NFL Officials in the highest regard and have always respected their professionalism and the difficulty of their jobs,” Prescott said in a tweet. “The safety of everyone who attends a game or participates on the field of a sporting event is a very serious matter.”
Prescott doubled down in a second Tweet: “That was my mistake, and I am sorry.”
After Prescott’s run ended in bounds, a referee raced forward to find the ball and made contact with the players. This delay caused the clock to go back to 0:00, and the 49ers won the game 23-17. This controversial call was just one of many made in the NFL Playoffs’ first week. Cowboys fans were furious.
The transcript of the interview between Todd Archer , a pool reporter for the Pro Football Writers Association, and Alex Kemp gives details about what transpired in the last seconds of the game. The interview began with an emphasis on play and asked if the mechanics were in order.
Kemp said that the umpire correctly spotted the ball. Kemp also confirmed that no communication was made between the NFL’s New York replay booth and the on-field officials.
Kemp answered questions about the incident between the Cowboys’ official and their players and reiterated that the situation was handled correctly.
“The umpire was just spotting the ball correctly. Because he was moving into the right spot, he collided with players while setting the ball.