Throughout his NFL career, Dak Prescott has been a good decision-maker. He has rarely taken sacks, posting a below-average sack rate in three of his four seasons. He has studiously avoided turnovers, throwing interceptions on only 1.7 percent of his passes, giving him the third-lowest interception rate among the 157 quarterbacks who have thrown at least 2,000 career passes.
This weekend, however, Prescott displayed some downright terrible -- and probably dangerous -- decision-making. According to a report from TMZ Sports, Prescott hosted a birthday party for a friend that flagrantly violated Texas' "safer-at-home" social distancing orders. TMZ originally reported that there were up to 30 guests at the party, which took place at Prescott's house in Prosper, Texas.
Prosper PD tells TMZ Sports it responded to a report of a potential party at Dak's home. However, "the officer was unable to verify the report of a 'party'; therefore, he just reminded the resident of the current CDC guidelines -- to include social distancing."
According to TMZ, the party later included a sit-down dinner at Prescott's house that included only 10 guests, though those guests were seated at a table that did not separate them by six feet, as is recommended by the social distancing guidelines as one of the photos posted at TMZ.com shows.
Included among the guests at the initial gathering was Prescott's teammate, Ezekiel Elliott. Prescott has also been gathering with several current and former teammates of late (including Dez Bryant) to run routes and throw passes, also in apparent violation of Texas' "safer-at-home" guidelines.
These are trying times. Everyone out there wants to be able to gather with friends and family, to go to work, to practice their craft. Staying at home and self-isolating while birthdays, holidays, and special events pass is difficult. But leading experts in the field of epidemiology have recommended that everybody do so, and "everybody" includes professional athletes. Prescott should heed their advice.