Tony Dungey took some crap on Sunday Night Football’s pregame for saying that Dak Prescott’s injury could be a “blessing in disguise.” Normally, I don’t have any use for Dungey. NBC’s pregame show is usually my least favorite. On this one, Dungey could’ve been right.
There are a great deal of examples of major injuries leading to sudden explosions and even championships in NFL history. Let’s take a peek at a few:
Carson Wentz: In the 2018 season, the Philadelphia Eagles were rocking and rolling with their top draft pick QB Carson Wentz. The collective breath was taken out of the whole city when in a hotly contested game, Wentz blew out his knee. Nick Foles was tossed into the game and for the rest of the year. What happened you may be wondering? The Eagles went on to beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl under a backup QB. Foles gabe the shot of adrenaline that the Eagles needed. Could they have won the Super Bowl with Wentz, who knows, but this kind of proves that an injury can really bring a team together and thrust a backup into a starring role they desperately needed. This season also earned Foles some huge money that he cashed in on and then sucked.
Tom Brady: Coming off of what was then the best offensive season in 2007, Tom Brady was set to light the NFL on fire again in 2008. That came to a screeching halt when Bernard Pollard went shoulder first into Brady’s knee. The whole region of New England soiled their undies. The best player in football was finished. In walked Matt Cassel. A guy who wasn’t even a starter at the University of Spoiled Children (USC). Cassell didn’t light the world on fire, but he led the team to an 11-5 record. Somehow, they missed the playoffs, which is a conversation for another day. All wasn’t lost in New England, and actually earned Cassell a sweet dral in Kansas City where he couldn’t continue his success.
Drew Bledsoe: The year was 2001. Bill Belichick was a fresh face in New England. He inherited a team with issues, but one of them wasn’t perennial pro bowl QB Drew Bledsoe. Bledsoe had just signed a huge deal with the Patriots and was ready to sling the ball around. The Patriots dreams of just a solid season were almost destroyed in one massive hit. Bledsoe rolled out, which he had no business doing, and got obliterated by a Jets defender. It turns out that Bledsoe’s ribs were broken and he had a punctured lung. The tough son of a bitch actually returned to the game by the way. When it was determined that Bledsoe had literally just almost died, 6th round pick and string bean looking Tom Brady jogged onto the field. Not only did Brady lead the Pats to an ok season, he lead them to a Super Bowl, and a 20 year strangle hold on the NFL.
All this being said, I hope Dak is ok. The gruesome injury looked horrifying and he looked devastated. Prescott is a good QB, who took the franchise tag as a “show me” year. He was doing what he could in Dallas. Only being 6 days out from his injury nobody can tell what’ll happen for Dak and the Cowboys. “The Red Rocket” Andy Dalton isn’t a long term answer in Dallas, ask Cincy, and a broken ankle doesn’t help matters for any athlete. But Dak could end up somewhere else on a new deal, or Jerry Jones will see that the Cowboys need Dak and make the team better for him.
Coach Dungey’s timing for his comment may have been atrocious, but be careful to judge him for his lack of sensitivity, injury may taketh, but it can also giveth.