Cowboys' Dak Prescott Apologizes for Supporting Fans Who Threw Debris at Referees

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is expressing remorse for his comments after Sunday's loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Wild Card Round. Prescott had expressed support for fans who threw debris at referees as they came off the field.

"I deeply regret the comments I made regarding the officials after the game on Sunday," Prescott tweeted Tuesday. "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," he continued. "The safety of everyone who attends a game or participates on the field of a sporting event is a very serious matter."

He added, "That was a mistake on my behalf, and I am sorry."

The incident occurred after Dallas' disappointing 23-17 loss, which featured some controversial calls by the officials. When asked about it in his postgame press conference, Prescott initially criticized the fans because he thought they were throwing things at Cowboys players. When told that they were aiming for the referees, Prescott responded, "credit to them, then."

Prescott came under fire for his remarks. The NBA Referees' Association condemned his comments Tuesday for promoting violence against officials, saying, "As an NFL leader, he should know better. We encourage the NFL to take action to discourage this deplorable behavior in the future."

Sunday's game ended with the Cowboys unable to get a play off before time expired as a referee took a moment to get the ball spotted. Dallas had been driving down the field for a potential game-winning touchdown. The Cowboys were also called for 14 penalties in the game, which likely added to Prescott's frustration with the officials.