Dallas Cowboys fans throw trash at the refs after heartbreaking NFL playoff loss; Dak Prescott says 'credit to them'

By Ben Morse, CNN

Updated 1500 GMT (2300 HKT) January 17, 2022

Dak Prescott walks off the field after losing to the San Francisco 49ers.

(CNN)The Dallas Cowboys' 2021 season couldn't have ended in a more heartbreaking manner for fans, and they wasted no time in expressing that frustration.

Shortly after the Cowboys' 23-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in the NFC Wild Card game, video captured fans throwing trash at players and referees as they ran off the AT&T Stadium field. Travis Kelce's mom surprises him with question at postgame news conference after two games in one dayCowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence could be seen batting away an object that was about to hit him, although he later told reporters that it was aimed at the officials. When star quarterback Dak Prescott was asked about the fans' actions, he initially expressed his disappointment thinking that they were directing their anger at the players. But when he was informed the trash was aimed at the referees, Prescott's message changed: «Credit to them.» Prescott looks to hand the ball off during the first half against the 49ers.Read MoreBizarre endingAfter the circumstances surrounding the ending of the game, it's perhaps understandable why Cowboys fans were frustrated. Despite all the offensive talent the team has, Dallas struggled to move the ball against the 49ers — the Cowboys had 11 possessions, seven of which ended with no points. But trailing by six points and with just over 30 seconds on the clock, Prescott had an opportunity to make amends. He managed to move the offense to the San Francisco 41-yard line with 14 seconds left, at which point the 49ers called a timeout to stop the clock. Jimmy Garoppolo hands the ball off to Elijah