{"id":35179,"date":"2025-03-22T08:26:14","date_gmt":"2025-03-22T08:26:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=35179"},"modified":"2025-03-22T08:26:14","modified_gmt":"2025-03-22T08:26:14","slug":"breaking-dak-prescott-was-emotional-as-he-bid-farewell-to-the-former-cowboys-player-after-eight-seasons-together","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=35179","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING : Dak Prescott was emotional as he bid farewell to the former #Cowboys player after eight seasons together"},"content":{"rendered":"
Dak Prescott shared a warm message to a long-time Dallas Cowboys teammate after he departed ahead of the 2025 season.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cooper Rush, who has been with ‘America’s Team’ for most of the last eight\u00a0NFL\u00a0seasons, has signed a two-year deal with the\u00a0Baltimore Ravens.<\/p>\n

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Prescott shared an emotional message after Rush’s departure<\/span>Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He will play backup to\u00a0Lamar Jackson, one of the\u00a0NFL’s top quarterbacks, and is expected to make at least $4.2million guaranteed.<\/p>\n

Prescott and Rush have no doubt worked closely together in the last few years, and the\u00a0Cowboys’ franchise star shared a message of thanks after news of his teammate’s departure was confirmed.<\/p>\n

Three-time Pro Bowler Prescott re-shared a post on his Instagram story from an account that announced Rush’s move to the Ravens.<\/p>\n

“Thank you brother,” he captioned his own message, adding a heart emoji.<\/p>\n

In Baltimore, Rush, 31, will take over as Jackson’s primary backup from Josh Johnson, a 38-year-old journeyman who threw three passes in six games last season.<\/p>\n

The Ravens haven’t needed to play their backup QBs much in recent years, as\u00a02023 MVP Jackson\u00a0hasn’t missed a game because of injury since the end of the 2022 season.<\/p>\n

In the last six years, the team are 4-10, including the playoffs, when Jackson has not started at quarterback.<\/p>\n

Rush, though, proved to be a valuable backup in Dallas, with a 9-5 record behind Prescott.<\/p>\n

In 2024, he posted career highs in yards (1,844) and touchdowns (12), going 4-4 after the Cowboys starter was lost for the season when suffering a hamstring injury in Week 9.<\/p>\n

While he’s not seen as a flashy quarterback, Rush is dependable and mostly avoids mistakes while on the field.<\/p>\n

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Rush played eight games behind Prescott last season, but might see less time as Jackson’s backup<\/span>Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Prescott suffered a season-ending injury in Week 9 of 2024, allowing Rush to fill in<\/span>Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The franchise QB shared a warm goodbye message to Rush after he joined the Ravens<\/span>Credit: Instagram: @_4Dak<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He threw five interceptions in the eight games he played last season.<\/p>\n

After Rush started every game since Prescott’s injury, the Cowboys elected to go with Trey Lance in their Week 18 season finale against the\u00a0Washington Commanders, and prevented him from hitting a play-time incentive for the year.<\/p>\n

That decision could possibly have contributed to the 31-year-old’s exit from the team.<\/p>\n

After signing with the Ravens, Rush noted that it’s ‘exciting to be on a good team’ for 2025, sharing his hopes for a playoff run.<\/p>\n

“It kind of came out of nowhere, and (I) was super excited when my agent said the Ravens called,” he said.<\/p>\n

“Obviously, from afar there in Dallas, you see the Ravens are a well-run, good organization.<\/p>\n

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Prescott and Rush have played together for the last eight years<\/span>Credit: Getty<\/span><\/span>“Tons of success, especially recently. So, I was like, wow, OK, this is sweet. It materialized, and here we are.<\/p>\n

“It’s really exciting to be on a good team.”<\/p>\n

Of being a backup quarterback, Rush added: “You get to 9-5, we had some good teams down there in Dallas, so you don’t have to play out of yourself.<\/p>\n

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