Dak Prescott’s MVP-Caliber Season Overshadowed by Dallas’ Defensive Collapse
The NFL Honors ceremony is just around the corner, and with the finalists for the league’s top awards officially announced, we now have a clear picture of who’s in the running for recognition after a wild 2025 season. Among the names up for Comeback Player of the Year is Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott-a nod that feels well-earned.
But for those who followed the Cowboys closely this year, it’s hard not to feel like Prescott should be up for more than just a comeback award. He played like an MVP.
Unfortunately, his defense didn’t.
Let’s start with the facts: Prescott was the lone Cowboy named a finalist in any of the six player categories. His CPOY competition includes Stefon Diggs, Aidan Hutchinson, Trevor Lawrence, and Christian McCaffrey-each with compelling cases.
McCaffrey, in particular, is the presumed front-runner after putting up a staggering 2,126 scrimmage yards and 17 total touchdowns while leading an injury-riddled 49ers squad to a 12-5 record. That’s MVP-level production in its own right.
There’s also a Cowboys footnote in the Defensive Player of the Year race. Micah Parsons, who was traded midseason to the Packers, still made the finalist list despite tearing his ACL and missing the last three games. It's a testament to how dominant he was before the injury-but also a painful reminder for Cowboys fans of what could’ve been.
Because let’s be honest: the Cowboys defense fell apart without him.
Dak Did His Part-and Then Some
Prescott’s 2025 campaign was one of the best of his 10-year career. He completed 67.3% of his passes for 4,552 yards-his second-highest career total and the third-most in the NFL this season.
He tossed 30 touchdown passes (fourth in the league) and posted a 99.5 passer rating. Statistically, he was elite.
And it wasn’t just empty numbers. Dallas finished second in the league in total offense (391.9 yards per game) and seventh in scoring (27.7 points per game). That’s a top-tier offense by any measure, and Prescott was the engine.
But while the offense was humming, the defense was leaking oil-badly.
Dallas ranked 30th in total defense, giving up 377.0 yards per game. Worse, they were dead last in points allowed, surrendering 30.1 per game.
That’s not just bad; that’s historically bad. When your offense is scoring nearly four touchdowns a game and you're still losing, something’s broken-and it wasn’t the quarterback.
The MVP Conversation That Should’ve Been
Now let’s look at the MVP finalists: Christian McCaffrey, Trevor Lawrence, Josh Allen, Drake Maye, and Matthew Stafford.
Stafford led the league in passing yards (4,707) and touchdowns (46). He’s the favorite.
Maye had a breakout year. Allen, as always, was a dual-threat force.
McCaffrey was the heartbeat of the 49ers. No argument there.
But Trevor Lawrence? That one raises eyebrows.
Yes, Lawrence led the Jaguars to a 13-4 record and an AFC South title. And yes, it was a strong bounce-back year for the former No. 1 pick. But when you line up his numbers next to Prescott’s, it’s hard to justify the edge.
| Stat | Dak Prescott | Trevor Lawrence |
|---|
| Completion % | 67.3 | 60.9 | | Passing Yards | 4,552 | 4,007 |
| Passing TDs | 30 | 29 | | INTs | 10 | 12 |
| Passer Rating | 99.5 | 91.0 | | Rushing Yards | 177 | 359 |
| Rushing TDs | 2 | 9 |
Lawrence wins on the ground, no doubt. But Prescott had the edge in nearly every passing category.
The difference? Wins.
Jacksonville had 13, Dallas had seven.
But that’s where context matters. The Cowboys lost multiple high-scoring shootouts because their defense couldn’t get stops.
Had they won just three more games-10 wins would’ve secured a playoff spot-Prescott likely grabs that fifth MVP finalist slot. Maybe even more.
Instead, the Cowboys watched the postseason from home, and their QB's MVP-level season gets tucked behind the curtain of a 7-10 record.
What Could’ve Been
Prescott can’t be blamed for Dallas’ collapse. He did everything you could ask of a franchise quarterback.
He led one of the league’s most productive offenses. He protected the football.
He delivered in big moments. But he couldn’t play defense, and that’s where the Cowboys crumbled.
It’s a shame, really. Because if you watched Prescott this season, you saw a quarterback in complete command of his game.
You saw a leader. You saw a player who, in a different situation, would be on the MVP stage in San Francisco next month.
Instead, he’ll be in the running for Comeback Player of the Year-a worthy honor, but one that doesn’t quite capture how good he really was.
And that’s the story of the Cowboys’ 2025 season: a quarterback playing at an MVP level, and a defense that couldn’t hold the line.