Dak Prescott answered a ton of questions in Thursday night’s NFL season opener. Coming off multiple injuries, the franchise quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys was outstanding in his first game action in 11 months.

Dallas was defeated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-29, but Prescott was the primary reason the Cowboys nearly upset the defending Super Bowl champions. Prescott went 42-58 for 403 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception that wasn't his fault.

Perhaps most encouraging was the fact that Prescott attempted nearly 60 passes without a problem. Dallas’ franchise quarterback missed all of the preseason with a right latissimus strain.

Just prior to kickoff, NBC’s Michele Tafoya reported that Prescott would undergo an MRI every two weeks throughout the 2021 season as a precautionary measure. There’s been speculation that Prescott might not be completely healthy all year.

Whether or not Prescott is still feeling any pain in his shoulder, the ailment didn’t affect his performance. He showed no hesitancy in his return, throwing on the run several times and taking off for four rushing attempts.

Prescott’s 2020 campaign was cut short in Week 5 because of an ankle injury.

“I think when you invest that much work in rehab and prehab and just everything that has gone into the last 11 months for me to get on the field, I mean, I'm not surprised about the way that I went out there and fought,” Prescott told reporters, via ESPN, after Thursday’s loss.

“Ran the ball a couple times and did all the things that I'd normally do 11 months ago. No, I feel like I'm a better player than I was when I left the field [last year] and I told y'all that was the expectations I had for myself, and I'll continue to try to get better game in and game out.”

Before getting hurt last season, Prescott was on pace to shatter the single-season passing record. Prescott set career-highs with 4,902 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2019 while leading the league’s No. 1 ranked offense.

In March, Dallas signed Prescott to a four-year, $160 million contract. The quarterback is the NFL’s third-highest paid player.

Dak Prescott Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys in action against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on November 04, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Cowboys defeated the Giants 37-18. Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
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