Dak Prescott on Cowboys fans throwing debris as refs raced to tunnel: 'Credit to them'
Dallas Cowboys fans were seething Sunday.
Apparently, so was Dak Prescott.
After a chaotic NFC wild-card playoff game ended in disappointment for Cowboys fans, some of them rained down debris on the field as officials ran to the exit tunnel. From video shared by a fan in the stands, it looked like the items in play were mostly drinks and empty cups. One of them hit Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence as he approached the same tunnel.
For those saying it was directed at refs, that would be equally awful but fan who sent it to me said absolutely at players and they were disgusted by it when I asked… to absolutely make sure that was the case https://t.co/J3WHogtqJF
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) January 17, 2022
Cowboys fell short after frantic finish
The video was taken in the immediate aftermath of the San Francisco 49ers' 23-17 win that eliminated Dallas from the playoffs. The Cowboys gambled on the game's final play with a quarterback draw by Prescott with no timeouts remaining. It didn't pay off.
Prescott scrambled for 17 yards before giving himself up at the 24-yard line with around 8 seconds remaining. The clock continued to tick as the Cowboys rushed to line up in an effort to spike the ball. But a play can't start until an official sets the ball. By the time the official caught up with the play and set it, the clock read 0:00. The game was over.
Dak, DeMarcus Lawrence respond
There was no final desperation play with the season on the line — only disappointment for the Cowboys. And for some fans, fury.
Some speculated that the fans were throwing stuff at Cowboys players. Lawrence, who batted away an incoming beverage, shot that idea down.
“That s*** was aimed at the refs," Lawrence told reporters, per the Dallas Morning' News' Calvin Watkins. … "It had nothing to do with me.”
Prescott, meanwhile expressed disappointment to reporters when he thought fans were throwing stuff at players. When he heard the vitriol was aimed at the refs, he changed his tune.
"Credit to them, then," Prescott said.