Dak Prescott desperately wants to end the Dallas Cowboys' 28-year championship drought. But he isn't letting that define a career he hopes will soon be rewarded by the team via a contract extension.
Despite all of Prescott's success, the fact that he has yet to get to the big game has led to question marks ranging from his status as an elite quarterback to whether or not the Cowboys should offer him a contract that would pay him as such. Prescott understands his predicament; he's just not subscribing to it.
"I'm free right now," Prescott recently told Yahoo Sports. "As in, where I am in life, what I've done here -- not what I've done here, but who I've been here. Understanding that sure, I'm deserving of [the next contract]. But then again, I mean, I told [my physical therapist] Luke [Miller] this: This game is judged off of winning the Super Bowl. And I understand people's angst, maybe their angst and me having not done that.
"Hey, if these people want to move on, it's a business," Prescott continued. "But I know, as I said in the media, it's a two-way street. Things have to be right from my end as well."
Not only is Prescott's outlook a healthy one, it's an accurate one. Football is a team sport, after all, one that requires every rostered (and even non-rostered) player to consistently perform at a high level. One mistake can be the difference between a Super Bowl parade and a dumpster fire.
It's obvious that Prescott understands this. For every Tom Brady and Joe Montana, there are countless other talented quarterbacks whose careers did not include a Super Bowl win. Dan Marino, a regular on just about anyone's QB Mount Rushmore, is the president of said club that also includes fellow gold jacket wearers Fran Tarkenton, Dan Fouts, Jim Kelly and future Hall of Famer Philip Rivers, among many, many others.
Prescott does not feel that not winning a Super Bowl has defined his career up to this point. And he clearly doesn't feel that it should be a factor in regard to a possible contract extension. But those points should not overshadow the fact that the Cowboys' odds at winning their elusive sixth Super Bowl are better with Prescott than without him.
Since becoming the Cowboys' starting quarterback, Prescott has been one of the NFL's most productive quarterbacks, despite a head coaching change and other changes to the coaching staff. He had his best statistical season to date in 2023, and there's no reason to think that he won't be just as good -- if not better -- in 2024, especially given the positive mindset the 31-year-old Prescott is currently occupying.
"To say I'm free means I'm in no rush -- whether it happens before camp, during the season or at the end of the season when other people have opportunities," Prescott said of his contract status. "My focus and mindset that allows me to be free is: Hell, I'm getting paid a lot of money to play the game that I love right now. And I'm not going to cheat that for one bit. [I'll] give everything to my teammates, and not stress about this because I have to make sure I go home and give everything to these two [Sarah Jane and MJ] as well.
"I'm good with whatever happens."
