The Thanksgiving Day matchup saw the Dallas Cowboys make a statement with a forceful display on the field. Their 45-10 victory made them the first team to win each of their first five home games by 20 or more points. The win led by Dak Prescott and DaRon Bland was a significant event, especially as it synced perfectly with Turkey Day.
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Not letting the occasions go by without a blast, quarterback Dak Prescott pulled out an out-of-the-box celebration on the field. Just after the Cowboys brought the score to 38-10, Prescott engaged in an unexpected display, pulling out a turkey leg from the Salvation Army Kettle.
DaRon Bland, Dak Prescott lead Cowboys to dominant Thanksgiving win vs. Commanders. 😤 https://t.co/g6ZBrVgd0o pic.twitter.com/LzU0xgR4bh
— theScore (@theScore) November 24, 2023
The comfortable lead over the Commanders, followed by this celebration, caught the attention of fans. The Cowboys QB reached to retrieve a turkey from the bowl, ignoring the league rule that restricts the use of external props. However, the Thanksgiving turkey feast was welcomed enthusiastically, even though the prop restrictions have remained the most enduring ones over the years.
Dak Prescott Sought Green-lights Before the Daring Thanksgiving Celebration
The excessive celebration was indeed a mark of the dual nature of the occasion. However, the daring display did not come without its own set of challenges. While Prescott’s turkey feast appeared to be an impromptu one, he revealed that he chose to go through permit channels to pull it off.
Dak, at an address, told the reporters that it was a ‘team effort’. He also revealed how they discussed whether Coach Mike McCarthy would be in agreement. He moved on to describe how he dropped in the ‘team idea’ before Jerry Jones and Mike McCarthy.
“And I’ll tell you, I actually go talk to coach [Mike McCarthy] before every game and sure enough, I caught him as he was talking to [owner/G.M.] Jerry [Jones] and so I mentioned it,” said Prescott.
Jerry Jones was ecstatic about the idea and mentioned that the team needed to have a winning lead first. Dak Prescott took the final call after throwing to KaVontae Turpin, following a two-point conversion by Lamb. He said,
“Sure enough, right after I threw the one to [KaVontae Turpin] I was like, yeah, let’s go for it. And so, and it was good.”
However, it did not go down with HC McCarthy that easily. He told the reporters that the game had to be in the Cowboys’ hands before they made the daring move.
#Cowboys QB Dak Prescott on how the turkey leg celebration came about: "I go talk to coach (McCarthy) before every game. I caught him as he was talking to Jerry (Jones). I mentioned it. Of course Jerry liked it."https://t.co/fKbXAYbhug
— 105.3 The FAN (@1053thefan) November 24, 2023
The Salvation Army kettle used in the field as an external prop has often made it to the celebrations. It usually draws a fine, which has Jerry Jones ‘all for it’. Undoubtedly, the team dynamics and collaboration were at an all-time high with the rule-bending celebration. As the Dallas Cowboys move forward, their Thanksgiving Day execution will serve as a perfect reminder of the dual occasion.