From Special Reports
ARLINGTON, Tex. — Former Mississippi State standout Dak Prescott turned another strong season with the Dallas Cowboys into a second Pro Bowl invite Monday.
Prescott and Amari Cooper were chosen Monday as injury replacements to the NFC roster for Sunday’s game in Orlando, Florida (2 p.m. on ESPN and WTVA-ABC).
Prescott will replace New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Cooper is replacing Saints receiver Michael Thomas. Both Brees and Thomas decided not to play in the game due to injuries.
For Prescott, this is his second Pro Bowl appearance in his third season. He will join Seattle’s Russell Wilson and Chicago’s Mitchell Tribusky as the NFC quarterbacks coached by the Cowboys’ staff this week. All three QBs are alternates for the initial three quarterbacks selected: Brees, Aaron Rodgers (injured) and Jared Goff (Super Bowl).
Prescott completed 67.7 percent of his passes for 3,885 yards and 22 touchdowns this season.
For Cooper, this is his third Pro Bowl appearance, and his first with the Cowboys. He proved to be a spark for a struggling Dallas offense, catching 53 passes for a team-high 725 yards and six touchdowns. Combined with his six games this year in Oakland to begin the season, Cooper finished the year with 75 catches for 1,005 yards and seven scores. Cooper made the Pro Bowl his first two years in Oakland in 2015 and 2016.
The Cowboys are now back to six players expected to play in the game. Just last week, both Zack Martin and Tyron Smith decided not to play due to injuries. Both Cooper and Prescott will now join four others: DeMarcus Lawrence, Ezekiel Elliott, Byron Jones and Leighton Vander Esch, who was also an injury replacement.
MSU will now have four former players in the game with Prescott joining Fletcher Cox, Darius Slay, Benardrick McKinney.
Information from DallasCowboys.com was included in this report
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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