Tony Romo concedes Dak Prescott has earned Dallas Cowboys quarterback job
Tuesday 15 November 2016 23:37, UK
Tony Romo has conceded he is now the second-string quarterback on the Dallas Cowboys and has to earn the top job back.
Romo is ready for action after another long absence with a back injury but, in his absence, rookie Dak Prescott has led the Cowboys to an 8-1 record and top spot in a tough NFC East division.
Prescott, a fourth-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, has completed 66.8 per cent of his passes so far this season for 2,339 yards with 14 touchdowns and only two interceptions.
In any normal year, that would make the Mississippi State recruit favourite for rookie of the year honours, but he probably wouldn't even win that award on his own team, such is the impact running back Ezekiel Elliott has made.
But 36-year-old Romo said in a five-minute prepared statement on Tuesday that Prescott had to sit ahead of him on the depth chart.
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"Dak Prescott, and what he's done, he's earned the right to be our quarterback," Romo said.
"As hard as that is for me to say, he's earned that right. He's guided our team to an 8-1 record, and that's hard to do.
"If you think for a second I don't want to be out there, then you probably never felt the pure ecstasy of competing and winning. That hasn't left me. In fact, it may burn now more than ever.
"I think you all know something magical is happening to our team. I'm not going to allow this situation to negatively effect Dak or this football team by becoming a constant distraction. I think Dak knows that I have his back and I think he knows that I have mine.
"To say the first half of this season has been emotional would be a huge understatement. Getting hurt when you feel like you have the best team you've had was a soul-crushing moment for me. It's a dark place. Probably the darkest it's ever been.
"Football is a meritocracy. You're not handed anything. I still want to play and compete."
