Mike McCarthy, head coach of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, told reporters on Friday that Dak Prescott will be the team's starting quarterback (QB) when he comes back healthy from a thumb injury.

Prescott signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension with the Cowboys last year and carried a lot of expectations from both the team and fans. Unfortunately, he didn't perform well in the first game of the 2022 regular season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium on September 11 and had to quit the competition in the fourth quarter after suffering a right thumb injury.

Prescott underwent surgery later and will have to spend six to eight weeks recovering. The Cowboys started Cooper Rush as QB in the game against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 18 and won 20-17 at home.

Jerry Jones, owner and general manager of the Cowboys, said on Thursday that he would welcome a QB controversy when Prescott returns if Rush continues to play well.

"Clearly, [to] everybody in our locker room and everybody in the building, Jerry included, Dak is our quarterback," McCarthy said on 105.3 The Fan. "We want Cooper to be successful as possible. So, I think it stops right there."

Rush, 28, joined the Cowboys as an undrafted player in 2017 and has played no more than five games in each of the previous five seasons for the team. He only started for the second time in his career in the win over the Bengals on September 18. He completed 19 of 31 passes for 235 yards and one touchdown with no interception in that game.

By contrast, Prescott was drafted by the Cowboys with the 135th pick in 2016 and became their starting QB in his rookie season after Tony Romo was injured in the preseason game. When he was healthy, Prescott was a two-time Pro Bowler who threw for 20,227 yards and 134 touchdowns in five seasons.

Rush said he "definitely don't dream as big as Jerry" when asked about the QB controversy. "No, but just want to keep winning. That's the goal. That's the plan. As long as I'm in there, that's my job. Rely on those guys on defense and our offensive line and receivers and play within the system and trust them and get the job done," he said.

The Cowboys will visit MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford to play against the New York Giants on September 26.