Leaving Houston with a 34-30 win was personal for Dak Prescott. It finally wiped away memories of his last trip to NRG Stadium, a brutal overtime defeat remembered for DeAndre Hopkins’ iconic spin move. Backed by a sea of loud Cowboys faithful who took over the road stadium, Prescott praised the energy: “It makes the atmosphere that much more special.” Yet, hearts dropped when a second-quarter play left his right throwing hand stepped on by a defender. The sight of heavy bandaging post-game sparked instant anxiety, but Dallas’ franchise QB quickly addressed the injury scare.

“Perfectly fine,” Prescott said, via Jane Slater of NFL Media. “Just wrapped so it doesn’t get swollen . . . or more swollen.”

According to The Athletic’s Jon Machota, Prescott received a cut on the back of his throwing hand after getting stepped on. The bandage is precautionary to suppress any swelling.

Even though Cowboys beat writer Nick Harris also reports that Prescott is doing alright, it did not seem that way during the game. The rough treatment started right from the game’s very first snap. Former Cowboys linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr., who was elevated from Houston’s practice squad just before kickoff, laid a late, questionable hit on Prescott right after he slid to protect himself. While no penalty flag was thrown, the cheap shot set a fiery, physical tone for the afternoon, proving Houston was out to rattle Dallas’s star quarterback early and often.

Prescott spent the afternoon under relentless siege, taking three sacks and absorbing a staggering 12 hits. Only his elite pocket awareness and razor-sharp footwork prevented Houston’s defense from bringing him down even more. Yet, with every hit taken over four brutal quarters, his right throwing hand absorbed a constant pounding, making post-game swelling almost inevitable.

For any NFL quarterback, even minor swelling on the throwing hand is bad news. A stiff or swollen right hand messes up a passer’s grip, making it tough to snap off sharp throws or control ball velocity. While Prescott avoided a bone fracture this time, any lingering stiffness in his fingers could affect his throwing touch and accuracy over the next few weeks.

If this is swelling, there is little cause for immediate alarm. However, the real test will be how his hand responds over the next 24 to 48 hours, especially on a short week. Hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football leaves Prescott with two fewer days to recover, making his daily treatment and grip strength critical storylines to monitor leading up to kickoff.

Compounding that concern is a familiar nightmare Cowboys Nation remembers all too well. Back in Week 1 of the 2022 season, Prescott suffered a fluke thumb injury against those very same Buccaneers. His throwing hand slammed into a defender’s helmet on a pass attempt, causing a fracture that required surgery and sidelined him for five games.

Despite dealing with an injury scare, Prescott delivered a solid performance against the Texans. He recorded 335 yards with one touchdown against them. He’s credited with a 99.8 passer rating and an 89.0 QBR. Moreover, Prescott wanted the game to happen that way.

“I want it like that, (with) the ball in my hands at the end of the game,” Prescott said, as per Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports via AOL. “I am thankful for that. Suppose you give me these games. I asked God, give me one more chance.”

“Thank my guys for going out there and blocking, CeeDee, George going out there making great catches. Can’t do it without any of those guys.”

The situation seemed scary, as Prescott already has a bad injury history. He broke and dislocated his right ankle back in October 2020. The injury ended his season and became a major setback in his career. He later suffered a right calf strain in October 2021 and missed one game.

Then, in November 2024 against the Atlanta Falcons, Prescott partially tore the hamstring tendon in his right leg. He played only eight games as Dallas finished 7-10, with Cooper Rush and Trey Lance filling in at quarterback. Prescott’s recovery from the hamstring injury continued into the 2025 offseason. Even more than five months after his last game, he was still working to fully recover and get back to his normal strength.

If by chance Prescott is forced to miss time, primary backup Sam Howell would step into the spotlight. Howell brings 18 NFL starts under his belt from his time in Washington, but his 5–13 career record as a starter highlights the drop-off Dallas would face. While Howell has a strong arm, he lacks Prescott’s elite pre-snap vision and game-managing experience, making Dak’s week-to-week health vital for Dallas to stay afloat.

What makes Prescott’s swollen throwing hand worth monitoring is the pressure already on Dallas’ offense. The Cowboys have dealt with injuries in the secondary, leaving little margin for error if the defense continues to give up big plays. If Prescott’s swelling affects his grip or throwing ability on a short week, Dallas’ offense could face added pressure to compensate.

Cowboys dealing with another level of injuries

Cowboys safety and special teams player Alijah “Cinco” Clark was taken off the field on a cart during the second half against the Texans. He had been playing more on defense this season because Dallas has several injured defensive backs. His main job, however, is still on special teams. He was later listed as questionable to return.

Clark’s injury came with Dallas trailing Houston 23-20 before the fourth quarter. The Cowboys were already short on safeties because P.J. Locke and Jalen Thompson were dealing with injuries. That meant Dallas had fewer healthy options in the secondary when Clark was forced to leave the game.

Before facing Houston, Dallas had also placed Thompson on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury. Defensive tackle Jonathan Bullard was placed on injured reserve as well after suffering a calf injury. Both players were required to miss at least four games, adding to the Cowboys’ growing injury problems.

The Cowboys were also dealing with injuries at cornerback. Shavon Revel hurt his knee during a game against Baltimore and was also dealing with an ankle problem. Meanwhile, Cobie Durant was sidelined with a hamstring strain and was not expected to return against Houston.

Because of these injuries, Dallas needed more depth in the secondary. The Cowboys added three defensive backs to their practice squad: safety Juanyeh Thomas and cornerbacks Alex Austin and Tyrek Funderburk. These moves gave the team more options to fill the gaps caused by the growing injury list.

So, with so many injuries piling up, let’s wait and see how the Cowboys perform in the coming week.