FRISCO, Texas – Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is dealing with a partial avulsion of his right hamstring, meaning part of the tendon has pulled away from the bone, a source confirmed Wednesday.

Prescott has not yet been placed on injured reserve. If he is placed on IR, he would sit out a minimum of four games, which would keep him out until at least December 9 against the visiting Cincinnati Bengals, should such a move be made this week. But two sources said Prescott would likely need a longer recovery period than four weeks.

NFL Network first reported the nature of Prescott’s injury.

Prescott was hurt after a five-yard scramble late in the third quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons. On the next play, cameras caught him grimacing as he threw a wobbly 10-yard pass to Jalen Brooks. After the match he said he had never had that feeling before.

“I felt it when I got up from running. I can’t even say I felt it running,” Prescott said. “The tackle, maybe something with the tackle. Yeah, I don’t know. But when I got up I actually felt something. I didn’t think it was much. You get tired. It’s a physical game. A lot Sometimes you feel other things and they disappear again.”

Prescott underwent an MRI on Monday and a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter at the time that the quarterback would be out for several weeks.

In 2022, Cowboys left tackle. Tyron Smith suffered a complete avulsion of his hamstring during a training camp practice that required surgery. He sat out the first 13 games of that season.

The Cowboys will start Cooper Rush at quarterback in Prescott’s absence. Rush is 5-1 as Prescott’s replacement, including a 4-1 stint in 2022 after Prescott suffered a broken right thumb in the season opener. Rush has nine touchdown throws, six interceptions and 1,786 passing yards in 30 appearances.

Trey Lance will serve as the backup.

“Cooper has been great in getting Dak ready to play, and now Dak, they’ll get a role reversal there,” Dallas coach Mike McCarthy said. “(Rush’s) temperament is excellent. I would say he’s as well-balanced as an individual, especially a quarterback, who I’ve had the opportunity to work with. Cerebral. Smart. He gives you the flexibility to keep playing “I think that’s what you want with all your quarterbacks. You don’t want to get to a point where you have to change a lot of things offensively because of who’s behind center.”