MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2017

By: Senator(s) Harkins, Jolly, Kirby, To: Rules Simmons (13th), Blackmon, Jackson (15th), Clarke, Turner-Ford, Massey, Moran, Browning, Tindell, Watson

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 637

1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE FORMER MISSISSIPPI STATE 2 UNIVERSITY AND STARTING DALLAS "COWBOYS" DAK PRESCOTT 3 FOR BEING NAMED NFL OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR FOR 2016-2017. 4 WHEREAS, in the span of less than one year, former 5 Mississippi State University Quarterback Dak Prescott has gone 6 from the 135th pick to the first in his class. On February 4,

7 2017, at the NFL Awards Ceremony, the Cowboys' 8 quarterback was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, 9 capping off a rookie season unlike anything the League has ever 10 seen; and 11 WHEREAS, Prescott accepted the award standing next to Ezekiel 12 Elliott, which should surprise no one. The duo took the League by 13 storm last fall, racking up an absurd number of wins and

14 accolades. The NFL did not even bother with the pretense that the 15 award would go to anyone but a Cowboy, as Prescott and Elliott 16 were the only players mentioned as nominees. "I wish I had a 17 knife so we could cut it in half," said a bemused Prescott from

S. C. R. No. 637 *SS02/R1221* ~ OFFICIAL ~ N1/2 17/SS02/R1221 PAGE 1 (tb\rc) 18 the stage at the Wortham Theater Center. Prescott ended up 19 receiving 28 of the 50 votes, while Elliott got 21; and 20 WHEREAS, in August when Dallas starting quarterback 21 went down with a broken bone in his back, Prescott never waivered. 22 Showing the calm of a veteran from his opening snap, the rookie 23 dazzled viewers during a pristine preseason. Many expected that

24 to change when the real action began, but Prescott was just 25 warming up. Starting all 16 games, the former Mississippi State 26 star guided Dallas to a 13-3 record and the NFC's top playoff 27 seed. Along the way, he threw for 23 and just four 28 picks, while completing 67.8 percent of his throws at a generous 29 eight yards per attempt; and 30 WHEREAS, by the end of his debut season, Prescott had earned

31 a Pro Bowl nod with 3,667 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and a mere 32 four . He posted a of 104.9 and rushed 33 for six touchdowns while leading the Cowboys to a 13-3 record. 34 "It was a fun season, a great season, a great Year I for me. I 35 tried to make the most of it," Prescott said. "To win 13 games,

36 to make the run to give ourselves a chance like we did in that 37 last game of the season, it was a fun ride. I have high

38 expectations for myself. It is just hard work paying off"; and 39 WHEREAS, Dak Prescott was also named Pepsi NFL Rookie of the 40 Year, Pepsi and the NFL announced on February 3, 2017. Prescott 41 was recognized for his contributions to the ' 42 franchise record-tying 13-win season. The Pepsi NFL Rookie of the

S. C. R. No. 637 *SS02/R1221* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 17/SS02/R1221 PAGE 2 (tb\rc) 43 Year has been around since 2002, and is voted on by fans. It is 44 the official Rookie of the Year trophy recognized by the NFL; and 45 WHEREAS, former Mississippi State University fifth-year 46 Senior Quarterback Dak Prescott was named the winner of the 20th 47 Annual C Spire by the Mississippi Sports Hall of 48 Fame and Museum on December 1, 2015. Dak Prescott is the first

49 player in history to win the award in back-to-back seasons and 50 Mississippi State was the first university to have a player win 51 the award seven times. Given annually to the best college 52 football player in Mississippi, Prescott earned the honor after 53 being the only player in the to lead his 54 team in both passing yards (3,413) and rushing yards (541) in the 55 regular season. The Haughton, Louisiana, native broke his own

56 single-season school records for completion percentage; and 57 WHEREAS, for an unheralded prospect out of Louisiana, Dak 58 Prescott has added one more reason why he is one of the best to 59 ever play in Mississippi. "It's become home," Prescott said. 60 "People and the hospitality make it home"; and it is with great

61 pride that we commend the continuing professional stellar football 62 career of an outstanding football player who has added another

63 line to his Mississippi State legacy and has brought honor to his 64 university, his community and to the State of Mississippi: 65 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF 66 MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That 67 we do hereby recognize former Mississippi State University

S. C. R. No. 637 *SS02/R1221* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 17/SS02/R1221 PAGE 3 (tb\rc) 68 Quarterback Dak Prescott and commend his stellar football career, 69 and extend our best wishes to Dak and his family on this 70 auspicious honor. 71 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to 72 Dak Prescott, forwarded to Mississippi State University Football 73 Coach , Mississippi State University President Mark

74 Keenum and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher 75 Learning, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.

S. C. R. No. 637 *SS02/R1221* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 17/SS02/R1221 ST: Recognize former MSU Quarterback Dak PAGE 4 (tb\rc) Prescott as NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year for 2016-2017.