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Todd Archer
FRISCO, Texas — Final January, Dak Prescott was barely off crutches after present process surgical procedure for a proper hamstring avulsion that ended his 2024 season after eight video games.
It was the third time in 5 seasons he had missed vital time due to damage — 11 video games in 2020 with a dislocated and fractured proper ankle; 5 in 2022 due to a damaged proper thumb; eight after his hamstring was torn from the bone final season.
There was by no means a doubt Prescott would return to his function because the Cowboys’ beginning quarterback for the tenth season — however he responded with the most effective seasons of his profession.
For the fourth time, he threw for greater than 4,000 yards and had a minimum of 30 landing passes. He accomplished a minimum of 60% of his passes in every of the primary 15 video games. He turned the franchise’s all-time chief in passing yards (35,989), passing Tony Romo. He’s tied for the NFL lead with six 300-yard passing video games. He’s tied for third in multi-touchdown passing video games (10).
He was named to the Professional Bowl for the fourth time.
Prescott mentioned he felt like his sport reached a better stage in 2025.
“It is thrilling realizing in 12 months 10 I am taking part in my finest, and I am solely going to get higher in my thoughts about the best way that I work and what I put into this sport,” Prescott mentioned.
However the Cowboys’ season ended with Sunday’s 34-17 loss to the New York Giants. At 7-9-1, the Cowboys missed the playoffs and wasted one among Prescott’s prime years.
“I hope to say the identical subsequent 12 months, and that is simply what I put into this sport, the best way that I’ve labored,” Prescott mentioned of his play. “Going again from being harm final season, as early because it was, my offseason began lots earlier, proper? I feel simply the person efficiency and performs, that was simply numerous the work that I put within the offseason. And so, actually, I plan on going to this offseason doing the identical factor, simply form of making an attempt to remain on this groove.”
Jerry Jones has mentioned on quite a few events his greatest remorse as proprietor and normal supervisor is just not having gained a Tremendous Bowl with Romo as quarterback. The chances say Jones may have the identical remorse with Prescott. Since 1980, there has not been a full-time beginning quarterback for the staff that drafted him who made his first Tremendous Bowl look after his tenth season.
However as Prescott, 32, approaches his eleventh season, Jones believes the Cowboys may have an opportunity.
“Nothing — other than what we have accomplished to this point this season — provides me something however optimism about going ahead at one of many key, if not the important thing place, quarterback,” Jones mentioned.
What number of extra probabilities does Prescott have left? Is it lifelike to anticipate him to proceed taking part in at this stage? Can he keep away from damage?
Whereas the Cowboys are in Oxnard, California, for coaching camp in July, Prescott will flip 33.
When Roger Staubach was 33, he had 5 extra Professional Bowl seasons forward of him. He led the Cowboys to 2 Tremendous Bowls, beating the Denver Broncos and shedding to the Pittsburgh Steelers. However Staubach’s age 33 season was solely his third 12 months because the full-time starter.
When Troy Aikman was 33, he went 7-7 because the starter in 1999. The 8-8 Cowboys made the playoffs, however the glory days of their three Tremendous Bowl wins was a fading reminiscence. Aikman completed with 17 touchdowns and 12 interceptions that season. His profession ended the next season.
When Romo was 33, he had his second again surgical procedure and missed the winner-take-all finale in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013. He returned in 2014 and had his finest season with the confluence of his expertise, well being and solid round him. The Cowboys completed 12-4 and made it to the divisional spherical of the playoffs. He would begin solely 4 extra video games the remainder of his profession after breaking his collarbone twice in 2015 and injuring his again once more within the 2016 preseason, which opened the door for Prescott, a fourth-round choose.
Matthew Stafford was 34 when he gained Tremendous Bowl LVI with the Los Angeles Rams following a commerce from the Detroit Lions. Tom Brady was 43 and with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when he gained his closing Tremendous Bowl. Peyton Manning was 39 for his closing Tremendous Bowl win, taking part in for the Broncos.
“I see a man that retains getting higher and higher,” coach Brian Schottenheimer mentioned. “I feel among the issues we did from a footwork coaching, we have talked about that all year long. I believed he has actually purchased into that and excelled at that stuff.
“I am not saying [Prescott is] going to play ’til he is 48 or no matter Tom [Brady] was, however even watching Aaron Rodgers play, these guys, as their brains develop they usually simply proceed to be taught and see a lot, I feel you are seeing quarterbacks taking part in an increasing number of. I feel he has quite a lot of good years left.”
That is solely the third time Prescott has missed the postseason when he has performed a minimum of 12 video games. In 2017, the Cowboys did not make the postseason with a 9-7 report, accomplished partially by a six-game suspension for Ezekiel Elliott. In 2019, the Cowboys completed 8-8 in what turned out to be Jason Garrett’s closing season as head coach.
“Yeah, this one stinks for certain,” Prescott mentioned after the Cowboys have been formally eradicated. “I hadn’t felt this since my second 12 months within the league, so it is a international feeling. I might say for certain it is motivating as hell speaking about all of the adjustments and every thing that is occurred by way of the season. The ups and the downs, including personnel, shedding a teammate. Loads went into this 12 months, and it is unlucky that we weren’t within the place to be trying ahead to the playoffs proper now.
“I do know only for me, not solely me personally however for lots of fellows, this can be a feeling that they will carry into the offseason. We’ll do our damnedest to verify this does not occur once more.”
Prescott will do what he can to verify well being is just not an issue, though the foremost accidents have been extra dangerous luck than something continual. Throughout this coaching camp, he integrated extra operating to verify the primary time he needed to burst by a defender didn’t are available reside motion.
The exercise plan with the Cowboys and his coach, Luke Miller, was a significant cause why he was in a position to begin all 17 video games. A few of his coaching camp snaps have been restricted and Prescott acknowledged as he will get older, “it is about being smarter.”
“I feel it is simply the diligence and intentionality that we had on this offseason,” Prescott mentioned. “Clearly not making the playoffs, [we’re] already planning for a way you are going to assault this offseason. [Last offseason] kinda provides us the blueprint of how we wish to transfer about going into this offseason.”
Off the sector, Prescott hopes to have some affect within the Cowboys’ strategy. Whereas he understands the ultimate name is not going to be his, he desires to be extra concerned within the route set forth by Jerry Jones, government vice chairman Stephen Jones, vice chairman of participant personnel Will McClay and Schottenheimer.
He has publicly lobbied for the returns of vast receiver George Pickens and operating again Javonte Williams.
Prescott is underneath contract by way of 2028 as a part of the record-setting extension he signed in 2024. The idea in his work provides him optimism that 12 months 11 shall be far totally different than 12 months 10 relating to wins and losses, promising the Cowboys wouldn’t be on this place a 12 months from now.
After Sunday’s loss to the Giants, Prescott mentioned he would take a couple of week off earlier than bodily preparing for 2026. Mentally, he mentioned he’s already fascinated with what must be accomplished for him and for the staff.
Requested what’s forward for him, personally, he had a fast reply.
“Greatness,” he mentioned. “I am going to work each day and bust my ass within the health club, in the best way that I care for my physique, throwing on the sector, to do every thing that I can. I do not anticipate any totally different than this previous 12 months and that is to be higher than I used to be this 12 months.
“I feel over my profession, the observe report considerably proves that. For me, it is simply persevering with to work. I do not know if there’s many who work as onerous as me or as intentional as me. And so I satisfaction myself in that and I look ahead to getting again to that right here.”