The Dallas Cowboys are getting ready to host the San Francisco 49ers for the Wild Card Weekend of the NFL playoffs, and, as per usual; there's a lot going on.
America's Team is looking to silence its critics and prove that they have what it takes to be a legit Super Bowl contender once again.
Here, we've gathered the most important news about the team, featuring Amari Cooper's fine, Dak Prescott's words on the playoffs, and Micah Parsons' warning to the 49ers' offense.
Cowboys' wideout Amari Cooper is once again walking on thin ice.
The NFL fined him for attending a Dallas Mavericks game, as he's still unvaccinated and in violation of the league's protocols:
"Prior to attending the Mavericks game, Cooper was on the sideline at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, cheering on Alabama against Cincinnati. Cooper was with teammates CeeDee Lamb (Mavericks) and Trevon Diggs (Cotton Bowl), but since they have been vaccinated, they do not have the same restrictions and were not fined," reported Todd Archer of ESPN.
Cooper had a brief spell on the sidelines this season after testing positive for COVID-19.
After the loss of her father and a less than shiny 2020-21 season, Mikaela Shiffrin is gearing up for a six-event Olympics this year.
Even so, nothing is distracting the team's focus from thriving in the playoffs.
When asked about it, Dak Prescott opened up on how unique the atmosphere is at AT&T Stadium at this point in the year, stating that the fans will always play a key role:
"One thing you can't replicate is playoff football, especially at AT&T Stadium, having played two playoff games here," Prescott told the Cowboys website. "You can feel the atmosphere in warm-ups, and really just from the time you show up at the game. You can feel it. It's something special. It'll be exciting to see Cowboys Nation show out and be a big part of this game."
Prescott knows there's a lot of pressure on his shoulders right now. But far from shying away, he thinks that's only going to motivate him and the team to perform at the highest level:
"I don't know why people label the word pressure as such a bad thing," Prescott added. "I think it creates high expectations and high standards, and it usually creates high results. For me, it's just about who I am and staying true to that. Preparing the same way. Trusting the people around me, trusting the play-callers and my preparation and just going out there and playing the game that I love without any hesitation."
And one guy who doesn't need any extra motivation is Micah Parsons, who'll be back with the team after missing the regular-season finale due to Covid-19.
When asked about San Francisco's stout offense, Parsons' response didn't disappoint:
“I’m from Harrisburg, where the bullies get bullied,"_ Parsons said, as quoted by Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News. _"There’s a bully in every gym. … At one point, it’s going to take somebody to stand up and fight. I ain’t ever back down from a challenge.”
The 49ers' offense is peaking right now but Parsons has already proven to be a generational talent, so they better watch out.
