Dak Prescott’s Stellar Season Deserves Better Than a Premature Ending - But He’s Still Starting
Dak Prescott is playing some of the best football of his career - and yet, the Dallas Cowboys are on the verge of being spectators come January. It’s a frustrating juxtaposition for a franchise that had high expectations and a quarterback who’s delivered at an MVP-caliber level. Prescott’s 2025 campaign has been nothing short of elite, but the team around him hasn’t held up its end of the bargain.
Now, with the Cowboys already eliminated from the Wild Card race and the NFC East potentially clinched by the Eagles before Dallas even takes the field on Sunday, the conversation has shifted. Not about what went wrong - that’s been dissected all season - but about what comes next. And more specifically, whether it’s worth putting Prescott back under center for what could be a meaningless final stretch.
But for now, Dallas isn’t pulling the plug.
Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer made it clear this week: the plan is to play Prescott. Asked if there was any consideration to give rookie Joe Milton some reps in the name of preservation, Schottenheimer didn’t hesitate.
“I want to win. So the plan would be to play Dak,” he said.
That’s a competitive mindset, and it speaks to the culture Dallas is trying to maintain - finish strong, compete to the final whistle, and don’t mail it in, even if the playoff math is stacked against you. But it’s a stance that could be tough to stomach for Cowboys fans, especially after a brutal Week 15 across the league that saw stars like Patrick Mahomes and Micah Parsons go down with ACL tears.
The risk is real. And for a team that’s already looking ahead to 2026, the idea of Prescott suffering a major injury in a game with no postseason implications is the nightmare scenario.
He’s already proven his toughness this year, coming back from a hamstring injury to play at an elite level. The last thing the Cowboys need is for that comeback story to take a detour before next season even begins.
Prescott has been the steady hand through a turbulent year. He led a midseason three-game win streak that gave fans a glimpse of what could’ve been.
But the defense couldn’t hold up its end, and the cracks that showed early never fully healed. That’s why Dallas is in this position - not because of No.
Looking ahead, 2026 offers a chance to reset. There’s already talk of retooling the defense and potentially bringing in a new coordinator.
If that side of the ball can be shored up, the Cowboys will have every reason to believe they can contend. But none of that matters if Prescott isn’t healthy and ready to lead the charge.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with starting Prescott this Sunday. He wants to play.
The coaches want to win. That’s football.
But if the Cowboys are officially eliminated before kickoff - and that’s a real possibility - it would be wise for Schottenheimer and the staff to take a hard look at the bigger picture.
Because while this season may be slipping away, the next one starts with keeping your franchise quarterback upright.