On Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys suffered their worst loss to the 49ers in the history of the rivalry between the two teams.
Even quarterback Dak Prescott said it was “the most humbling game [he’d] ever been a part of.”
Additionally, for many, this game served as a litmus test for the potency of Mike McCarthy’s Texas Coast offense and the capacity of the 2023 Dallas Cowboys to surpass the postseason results of previous years.
Although it’s only Week 5, the stunning defeat combined with the observer-assigned weight of this game led to the outcome being discussed even more than what is usually the case for Cowboys games.
Considering all of this, commentary from former Cowboys stars turned media members was expected.
Hall of Famer Michael Irvin said, “It’s hopeless right now,” as he described the shortcomings of Mike McCarthy.
Former Cowboy Keyshawn Johnson, who hosts Undisputed alongside Michael Irvin, followed up Irvin’s statement by spending several minutes questioning the physicality of the 2023 roster.
DEION SANDERS HAS ENTERED THE CHAT
Out of all the former Cowboys who have found themselves in the limelight after retiring from their athletic career, none have remained the topic of public discourse as effortlessly as Deion Sanders a.k.a. Primetime a.k.a. Coach Prime.
As a college football coach, Sanders has received literally unprecedented levels of attention on his methods, his results, and the programs with which he’s been associated.
Currently, Sanders is the head coach of the University of Colorado football team.
And something for which he has become known since taking on that role with the Buffaloes is his assessment of “dawgs.”
In sports, the term “dog” or “dawg” is associated with athletes that display a higher level of toughness or aggressiveness than the majority of their peers.
There are even references to “dawg” as an acronym.
The most common expansions are “disciplined athlete with grit” and “discipline, accountability, work ethic, and grit.”
One of the best explanations for what a dawg is, though, is Coach Prime’s description of his own son, Shilo Sanders.
Sanders plays safety for the Buffaloes and has been mentioned as one of the best safeties in the Pac 12 conference.
A few weeks ago, Coach Prime said of Shilo, “Shilo is a dawg, man. Shilo is a leader of men. Shilo is not shy with his words.
He’s practicing his butt off. He’s trying to hit everything he sees out there. But he’s doing his job.”
Later he added, in reference to Shilo and a couple of other dawgs on the team, “They want to be dominant. They don’t just want to win.”
NO DAWGS IN DALLAS?
When Deion Sanders was announced as a guest on “Inside the NFL” with Ryan Clark on Tuesday evening, it only made sense for the topic to turn to Sunday night’s game between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers since Sanders is known as a legend on both teams.
What Coach Prime had to say about the current Cowboys team carried particular weight, not only because of his importance to the Cowboys franchise but also because of how he determines the merit of athletes he observes.
“I felt bad for Dak because I think Dak is better than that.” @DeionSanders weighs in on the SNF blowout featuring his former teams 👇 pic.twitter.com/3nmvHFnxuG
— Inside the NFL (@insidetheNFL) October 10, 2023
Of the 49ers, Sanders said, “See, the thing about the 49ers — they have several guys out there, right now, that you know what you’re gonna get every Sunday.
“…and the quarterback is playing out his mind, and he wasn’t even slated to be one of those guys.”
Then, regarding the Dallas Cowboys, Coach Prime commented, “The Cowboys have guys that [are] supposed to be dawgs, but…” His sentence trailed off as he shook his head in disappointment and disapproval.
Coach Prime went on to say that he believes Dak Prescott is better than the performance he put on the field Sunday night and that Dak will show his better side in the future.
IT’S ONLY WEEK 5
Both Michael Irvin and Deion Sanders were integral members of the Dallas Cowboys during what is considered a golden era for the franchise.
They were both members of the teams that won Super Bowls XXIX and XXX.
Because of this, their words have impact, and their opinions can sway the fanbase.
The last thing any Dallas Cowboys player, coach, or fan wants to hear from icons like Sanders and Irvin is that the Cowboys are a hopeless team that lacks toughness.
Fortunately, the season is far from over.
The Dallas Cowboys have a weekly opportunity to prove them wrong, starting with another highly anticipated game, this time against the Los Angeles Chargers, on Monday Night.