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Some guys just have it. Tony Romo showed he had it when he led the Cowboys in a comeback win over the Raiders in the preseason of 2004. Dak Prescott showed he had it when he played virtually flawlessly against the Rams in the 2016 preseason. And Mike Hohensee apparently showed it when he took command of the huddle during the Cowboys rookie minicamp.
Hohensee, an undrafted quarterback from Northwest Missouri State, may not be a household name but that may soon be changing after impressing in minicamp and earning praise from Mike McCarthy
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy made a point in opening statement of news conference to highlight QB Mike Hohensee. “I do not recall a young quarterback coming in here on a tryout [basis] and commanding the huddle” as Hohensee has. https://t.co/Y5h7EjnSKr pic.twitter.com/rMxgaCU7vz
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) May 10, 2024
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Hohensee, the son of former NFL, CFL, USFL and AFL quarterback of the same name, commanded the huddle in way McCarthy had not seen before.
Attending the rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, Hohensee made the case for Dallas to add a fourth QB to mix ahead of training camp. With Dak Prescott, Cooper Rush and Trey Lance on the roster, the Cowboys don’t have an obvious need for a third arm. But if McCarthy really senses something special in the rookie signal caller, an offer could be on the way.
Keep working young man, know you will be ready when that moment comes! https://t.co/St48ekd8pm
— Kurt Warner (@kurt13warner) March 25, 2024
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The Cowboys will discuss the QB situation over the weekend and determine whether Hohensee makes the grade or not. The 6-foot-2 196-pound prospect brings playmaking ability with his arm and legs. In just nine games last season he passed for 1,974 yards, 22 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He holds the school record for single-season completion percentage and his career average of 68.9% ranks second all-time. He’s also the punter.
The Cowboys don’t have any long-term QB projects on the roster beyond this season. Prescott, Lance and Rush are all free agents in 2025, so there remains the potential for a complete churn at the QB position over the offseason. Having someone like Hohensee working and developing in the background is a solid move, given the situation.
While Hohensee is a longshot to make a major impact at any point in the NFL, the same could have been said for Romo and Prescott. Like those two, Hohensee brings a special intangible to the table that can’t be easily described.
The Cowboys’ coaching staff is operating on expiring deals this season, so it’s safe to say a long-term view isn’t their highest priority. But finding the “it” factor isn’t easy and if Hohensee’s talent supports his intangibles, the Cowboys could do far worse than sign an extra QB to their training camp roster this season.