Dak Prescott enters the offseason coming off one of the best seasons of his 10-year career. He’s healthy, something he couldn’t say after the 2024 season because of hamstring surgery.
And not only will Prescott get ready to rebound from a 7-9-1 campaign, but he will also move forward in life. He plans to get married in Italy this summer.
None of this prevents the Cowboys quarterback from receiving criticism.
It was pointed out on social media last week that C.J. Stroud, the Houston Texans’ quarterback, has more playoff wins than Prescott (3-2). Never mind that Stroud earned his third win against the Steelers in an AFC wild card game despite his five fumbles and one interception.
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Prescott has to deal with the criticism whether he’s playing in the postseason or not. He seems at peace with it because he can’t change what people say. He doesn’t like it, but he is determined to change the fortunes of a franchise that’s reached 30 years without a Super Bowl title.
“I take accountability, don’t get me wrong, in so many ways,” Prescott said after the Cowboys’ final regular-season game. “The leader I am, I’m frustrated, always trying to figure out what could I have done better, whether it was conversations here, talking to this guy there, whatever it may be. I still put some of it on myself. Unfortunately, we just didn’t get it done. Yeah, I’m tired of it, sick of it. It won’t change the way I approach this offseason, the way I lead, me just giving this game everything I’ve got to try to change it.”
Big numbers not enough
A quick recap of the season: Prescott went into the final game of 2025 leading the league in passing yards. No Cowboys quarterback has ever finished a season leading the league in passing yards. Prescott finished third with 4,552 yards.
He led the NFL with 404 completions. He was fourth with 30 touchdown passes. He threw a career-high 600 passes. It was the fourth time he threw for 30 or more touchdowns and for more than 4,000 yards.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) celebrates with tight end Jake Ferguson (87) after they connected on a touchdown pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders on Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Landover, Md.
Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer
The Cowboys’ offense was seventh in points per game, second in total yards and fourth in yards per play. Prescott had two 1,000-yard receivers and a 1,000-yard rusher.
It wasn’t enough.
You can look at an inept defense, which cost coordinator Matt Eberflus his job, as a reason for the subpar record. The Cowboys are focusing on finding Eberflus’ replacement and making sure one of Prescott’s key weapons, wide receiver George Pickens, returns.
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones speaks with regret that Tony Romo, his quarterback for 10-plus seasons, didn’t win a Super Bowl. In fact, Romo didn’t get the Cowboys to a conference championship game.
Jones’ QB1 is now Prescott, and you begin to hear the owner talk about wasted years. You begin to hear about how much Prescott means to the organization.
“I point to Dak and I think we saw what we can have,” Jones said when the season was over. “I think I saw Dak at the best I’ve ever seen him this year. That’s saying a lot because he’s played some great football around here. But first of all, we had him all year, so I’ve seen it. I know I’ve been criticized that we wasted having him all year well, one of the reasons in my mind we had him all year I liked the way [coach] Brian [Schottenheimer] put a plan in for our offense that was a combination of success and a good offense and along with things that took him out of harm’s way in some cases.”
Prescott career snapshotSeasonStartsQB recordTeam recordYardsTDsINTsQB Rating20161613-313-33,667234104.92017169-79-7*3,324221386.620181610-610-63,88522896.92019168-88-8*4,902301199.7202052-36-10*1,8569499.620211611-512-54,4493710104.22022128-412-52,860231591.120231712-512-54,516369105.9202483-57-10*1,978118862025177-9-17-9-1*4,552301099.5
*Missed playoffs
Faith in their quarterback
Prescott’s health has been a story every other year. He didn’t miss a game his first four seasons, but he fractured an ankle in 2020. In 2022, there was a thumb injury. In 2024, a hamstring injury.
Prescott has pushed back that he’s injury-prone.
And now going into 2026, he has no health issues to worry about. The only concern is getting the Cowboys back to the postseason. For the second time in his career, the Cowboys have missed the postseason in consecutive years.
He wants that to change.
“Ultimately, just a 7-9-1 record. It sucks, but it’s the reality,” he said. “A lot of good in the season. But it’s not the destination, not the end goal, not where we wanted to be. But thankful for the experience. Thankful for the men in the locker room who gave their all. Coaches each and every week.”
He’s not alone.
Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer celebrates with quarterback Dak Prescott (4) after a 24-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFL football game at AT&T Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Arlington.
Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer
“First of all, I’m talking to the fan,” Jones said. “I have lived a life of having people say, ‘Jerry, I want more.’ I expect that. Jerry wants more. If you’re talking in third person, but I know we want more. I want more and my point to you is I think whether you or others would disagree, our best way to get more, our best way to get more is to do what we’re going to be doing over the next few days.”
That starts with finding a new defensive coordinator and overhauling a defense that finished 30th in 2025. Re-signing Pickens, running back Javonte Williams and edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney would also help. Getting impactful players with their two first-round draft picks can only add to it.
Will it be enough to help the Cowboys?
“To be blunt, there’s going to be conversations,” Prescott said. “I’m sure they’re going to reach out. There’s going to be other topics where I go to them first, right? There will be a lot of communication.”
The Cowboys are not the only franchise with issues. Nine NFL teams went into the offseason seeking new head coaches. Some, like the Cowboys and their NFC East rival Washington Commanders, sought new defensive coordinators.
The Cowboys have faith in Prescott as their quarterback.
“I think it’s tough for me, but one thing that gives me peace, I see the work that actually gets put in,” guard Tyler Smith said. “I know Dak. I know [Cooper] Beebe. I know [Tyler] Booker. I know [Tyler] Guyton. It’s never a question in my mind the dedication of what guys are putting into this, and sometimes you don’t get what you want out. But how are you going to respond to that? How you going to respond to hitting that brick wall because not everybody wins a championship in their first year, not everybody wins a championship in their first five years. But when it happens, it happens and it’s only going to happen if you continue to be consistent with your body of work.”
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