DALLAS COWBOYS QUARTERBACK Dak Prescott has apologised for praising fans who pelted game officials with bottles and other missiles following the team’s play-off defeat to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
Prescott drew criticism in the wake of the Cowboys’ loss in Arlington after responding to a question about spectators targeting his team-mates for abuse as they walked off the field.
However, when informed that the fans appeared to be hurling objects at the officiating crew rather than Cowboys players, Prescott responded: “Credit to them then. Credit to them.”
He was later invited to walk back his comments in the same press conference but declined to do so. However, in a series of posts on Twitter, Prescott apologised for his post-game remarks.
“I deeply regret the comments I made regarding the officials after the game on Sunday,” Prescott wrote. “I was caught up in the emotion of a disappointing loss and my words were uncalled for and unfair.
“I hold the NFL officials in the highest regard and have always respected their professionalism and the difficulty of their jobs.
“The safety of everyone who attends a game or participates on the field of a sporting event is a very serious matter. That was a mistake on my behalf, and I am sorry.”
Prescott’s post-game comments drew ire from basketball, with the NBA Referees Association accusing the Cowboys star of condoning violence against officials.
“As an NFL leader, he should know better,” the NBRA wrote on Twitter. “We encourage the NFL to take action to discourage this deplorable behaviour in the future.”
