Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott could very well have millions of reasons to celebrate during the off-season. It would not be shocking to see the team sign Prescott to a significant extension ahead of the last year on his rookie contract.
But he may not be in a celebratory mood depending on what happens with his dogs.
It seems that the two got out earlier this week and were fighting when a neighbor tried to intervene. The neighbor had already called the police about the two dogs, but rather than wait for them to arrive she thought she could pull two fighting dogs apart.
Whether she was successful remains a mystery, but in the process, she was bitten by one of the dogs. The injury was not life-threatening but enough to warrant medical attention. When the police did arrive, they located both dogs and were able to capture them.
The one that didn’t bite the neighbor was released to someone at Prescott’s home. The one that did has to be quarantined for ten days before heading home.
Prescott was not home at the time when the dogs got out. They are believed to have gotten out through an unsecured door. While no charges have been filed at this time, Prescott could be charged with a Class C misdemeanor resulting in a fine of up to $500.
Since it is a legal matter, the NFL could decide to step in and hand down some sort of punishment. The charge is not considered a serious one, but if mishandled, it could result in a severe black eye for the NFL.
How so? Well—because the NFL should be in favor of responsible pet ownership. It is not hard to imagine someone taking exception to no punishment or a light one. What if the dogs had done more than just bite her? What if they had both attacked?
Does the NFL really want to hear a police officer talking about how an animal attack resulting in serious injury could have been prevented if the animals were properly secured? Probably not.
The NFL would probably prefer the media talk about the size of the potential extension Prescott is going to sign in the offseason. The former fourth-round pick will be eligible for one and teams often prefer not to have players at critical positions play into the final year of their contracts.
