Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott issued an apology Tuesday for his post-game comments about fans throwing trash at the referees following the Cowboys' 23-17 loss to the 49ers on Sunday.
Prescott was initially disappointed by fans throwing trash and debris as players exited the field after the game. However, when the two-time Pro Bowler found out that fans were throwing debris at the referees, he said “Credit to them then.”
Prescott backtracked on those comments Tuesday, saying that he respects the league's officials and wanted no harm to come to them.
“I hold the NFL Officials in the highest regard and have always respected their professionalism and the difficulty of their jobs,” Prescott said. “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 apology comes shortly after the National Basketball Referees Association issued a statement Tuesday expressing their disapproval of his initial comments.
“The NBRA condemns the comments by Dak Prescott condoning violence against game officials,” the statement said. “As an NFL leader, he should know better. We encourage the NFL to take action to discourage this deplorable behavior in the future.”
Dallas finished this season with a wild-card playoff loss and will pick 24th in the 2022 NFL Draft.
