Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback Dak Prescott spoke out in reaction to the recently surfaced photo which showed team owner Jerry Jones as a 14-year-old in attendance alongside many others who protested the desegregation of Little Rock High School in 1957.
The 29-year-old veteran found himself in quite the situation, considering Prescott is an African American and has spent the entirety of his seven-year NFL career playing for Jones, signing a mega contract worth $160 million to make him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league.
When speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Prescott offered both an empathetic and perplexed reaction to the uncovering of Jones' past and an overall delicate topic of discussion.
"Obviously we can be more empathetic and give grace to one another, regardless of race, from the times we've come from to where we are now, thinking about the growth we've had," Prescott said, according to Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports. "That's who I am, how I think, optimistic I mean, a guy who is completely biracial, Black and white, it's easy for me to speak on race on one side or another. And I don't always, how do I say this? I don't know if I've fully processed it all the way, honestly. I think whether LeBron's talking to the picture, that's on Jerry to address. In the same sense, it's 65 years ago and how times have changed. I mean look at the man's resume since then, right? As I said, I give grace."
Prescott referenced Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, who on Wednesday, questioned members of the media for failing to present the topic of the photograph -- which undoubtedly has disturbing historical affiliation -- the same way they did during the Kyrie Irving controversy. James attempted to highlight the lack of consistency in the approach from reporters, regarding two issues that had nothing to do with him.
"It seems like to me that the whole Jerry Jones situation and photo, and I know it was years and years ago and we all make mistakes — I get it," James said, per ESPN video. "But it seemed like it's been buried under, like, 'Oh, it happened. We just move on.' I was disappointed I haven't received that question from you guys."
Nevertheless, Prescott, again, ensured that Jones would be best suited to answer all questions regarding the photograph which took place during one of the more daunting periods, socially, in America.
"Unfortunate things come up from the past, pictures, and they show how far we've come, but at the same sense, they're a reminder of how short of a time that was ago," Prescott said. "That wasn't that long ago that we were all sitting on different sides, and we weren't together. But as I said, I wouldn't be here if it were still that way. So I believe in grace and change. Those are questions for Jerry for y'all, honestly, that I don't have quite the answers for."
Since purchasing the Cowboys in 1989, Jones is yet to hire a Black head coach which has made the Cowboys one of 13 NFL franchises to never do so, according to The Washington Post.
As of Thursday, ahead of the Cowboys' Week 13 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, Jones is yet to speak up and face the music, now as an 80 year old adult.
