Dak Prescott is ‘the‘ Dallas Cowboys. Nine seasons under center. Nearly a decade of big plays, bigger expectations, and that elusive Lombardi Trophy still just out of reach. Jerry Jones bet on him early, stuck with him through injuries and critics, and built his franchise around No. 4. It’s hard to imagine Prescott in any other uniform—hell, he’ll probably retire a Cowboy. For all the noise, one thing’s clear: Prescott earned his place in Cowboys lore. But here’s the twist: Dallas wasn’t even on his radar. Not really!
Before the draft, before the star on his helmet, Prescott had other plans. The Cowboys were an afterthought. He brushed them off, shrugged them away, convinced himself it would never happen. Then fate and Jerry stepped in. On the Good Good Podcast, Dak Prescott peeled back the layers.
Growing up in South Louisiana—Saints territory—he never fit the local mold. “I’m a Cowboys fan, really, because of my dad,” he admitted. But as draft day loomed, that childhood blue-and-silver passion got packed away with his college playbook. “My last couple years in college? Probably my least years of being a Cowboys fan.”
The why was simple: Prescott, the boy, could love a team. Prescott, the NFL prospect, couldn’t afford to. “I’m planning to go to the NFL. You can’t really show a bias.” So when Dallas’ scouts came calling, he played it detached, like any other franchise evaluating him. When draft night arrived, Prescott kept his emotions in check. That childhood Cowboys fandom? Strictly business now. “They were actually one of the last teams I visited,” he confessed. “I was like, ‘Nah, this’ll be too good to be true.’”
Then a phone call in the fourth round changed everything. While Jerry Jones’ team had struck out on their top QB targets – watching Paxton Lynch and Connor Cook slip away – their backup plan sat waiting at pick 135. The irony wasn’t lost on anyone: Dallas landed the one quarterback who’d convinced himself he’d never wear the star. But when he did, no one was happier than his father, Nat.
A little over a year after Dak got drafted and took over as the Cowboys’ starter, his dad still couldn’t believe it. His son was actually the quarterback for the team he’d loved his whole life. Growing up in Louisiana didn’t change Nat’s loyalty; the Cowboys were always his team, thanks to his granddad, and he passed that same love on to Dak. So when Nat flew out to L.A. to surprise him the day before his 24th birthday, it meant everything.
With the team practicing on his actual birthday, they kept it chill. Dak hit the spa, then they all celebrated at The Cheesecake Factory. And the surprise? It actually worked. Dak admitted he never usually falls for that kind of thing, but his dad finally pulled it off, and seeing Nat light up meant the world to him, especially knowing how deep that Cowboys bond runs.
The dream Jerry Jones delivered
That life-changing phone call in 2016 set everything in motion. Dak Prescott’s modest $2.7 million rookie contract seemed worlds away from the spotlight awaiting him. When he trotted onto the field that September 11 against the Giants – just the fourth rookie QB to start a Cowboys opener – nobody knew they were witnessing the first chapter of an unexpected love story. The 20-19 loss didn’t matter. The magic was there!
Jerry Jones saw it immediately. What began as a consolation prize after missing on Lynch and Cook became the franchise’s cornerstone. Fast forward through franchise tags and record-breaking performances, and that fourth-round gamble culminated in last September’s staggering $240 million commitment. “This was a time when it was right there for us to do,” Jones admitted, his Texas drawl dripping with satisfaction. “I’ve known all along what a great player Dak is.” The numbers said it all: $60 million per year. $231 million guaranteed. History!
NFL, American Football Herren, USA Preseason-Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers, August 10, 2019 Santa Clara, CA, USA Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott 4 and owner Jerry Jones right before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports, 10.08.2019 20:13:54, 13262063, Levi s Stadium, Dak Prescott, NFL, San Francisco 49ers, Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKylexTeradax 13262063
But 2024 tested that faith. That Week 9 hamstring injury – the avulsion that required surgery, the grim November announcement ending his season – could’ve derailed everything. Yet Prescott attacked rehab with the same focus that transformed him from afterthought to MVP candidate. “I’m feeling good,” he reports now, the optimism in his voice belying the challenges. “The last two weeks have been huge…everything’s on the right track.”
The arc defies logic. The Louisiana kid who mentally crossed Dallas off his list? The prospect who thought the star “too good to be true”? He’s now the highest-paid player in league history, carrying the hopes of America’s Team. That childhood jersey he stopped wearing in college? It’s his skin now. And as Jones put it, “Dak is our quarterback for the rest of my time.”
From reluctant draftee to $240 million man. From rehabbing injury to chasing Lombardis. The dream Prescott abandoned came chasing after him, and caught him in the best possible way!
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