Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is entering a pivotal season that could shape the rest of his NFL career. With just two playoff wins over nine seasons, the pressure is mounting to finally deliver in January — especially for a franchise that hasn’t reached the NFC Championship Game since the 1995 season, when the Dallas Cowboys took down the Green Bay Packers and went on to win Super Bowl XXX.
Prescott’s 2-5 postseason record continues to overshadow his regular season accomplishments. The veteran quarterback understands the criticism and accepts the responsibility that comes with leading the most visible team in the NFL.
“Nobody wants to win more than me,” told Clarence Hill of All City DLLS, as reported by ProFootballTalk. “I know what I put into this game… I’d give the money I make to win and be broke.”
Following a season-ending hamstring injury in Week 9 of 2024, Prescott watched as the Cowboys missed the playoffs entirely. While he was sidelined, the NFC East-rival Eagles and Commanders faced off in the conference title game. The Eagles later dominated the Super Bowl, making his absence even more painful.
Now healthy, Prescott is set to report to Cowboys training camp as a “full-go,” entering his 10th NFL season under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer. The Cowboys moved on from Mike McCarthy after a disappointing 7-10 finish last season. It marked the team’s first losing record since 2020 and saw them swept by Philadelphia for the first time in over a decade.
The expectations remain sky-high. Prescott led the NFL in touchdown passes in 2023 and finished second in MVP voting behind Lamar Jackson. He’s also a Walter Payton Man of the Year recipient and a former Offensive Rookie of the Year. But accolades mean little in Dallas without playoff success.
The Cowboys will once again face a brutal schedule in the loaded NFC East. To keep his legacy intact — and justify the collosal $240 million extension he signed last year —the Mississippi State product has to break through when it matters most.
If not, the conversation about the future at quarterback in Dallas may get even louder.