As the Dallas Cowboys gear up for their regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders, quarterback Dak Prescott isn’t mincing words about where this team stands - or more importantly, where he refuses to let it stay.
“We won't be back here in this spot,” Prescott said Tuesday, delivering a message that was as much about accountability as it was about leadership. Now in his tenth season, Prescott is speaking with the clarity of a veteran who’s seen the full arc of NFL life - the wins, the losses, the playoff heartbreak, and the weight of expectations in a football-obsessed city like Dallas.
“Each year has its own troubles. Each year has its own highs, lows, ebbs, and flows,” he said. “The importance is controlling what you can.”
And that’s exactly where Prescott is focused: control. Not in a micromanaging sense, but in the way great quarterbacks evolve - by taking on more than just the throws and the reads. Prescott is leaning into his voice, his influence, and his ability to shape the culture around him.
“As you get older, I think having more input, having more say-so, and being asked more questions from the front office… maybe there's a little bit more that I can do,” he said. “It’s not physically or me getting better at my game. Maybe it's speaking up and saying, ‘This will help,’ or ‘I think this can help.’”
That’s a quarterback who understands the bigger picture. Prescott’s not just trying to improve his own play - he’s trying to elevate the entire operation. Whether it’s personnel decisions, locker room dynamics, or setting the tone in practice, he’s making it clear: he wants to be part of the solution in every way possible.
“Whatever it takes,” he added. “Once again, I'm going to do my damnedest and make sure that I'm influencing and encouraging everybody else around me - not just the players - to do the same.”
That kind of leadership matters, especially when the season hasn’t gone the way the Cowboys hoped. Dallas is still fighting for playoff positioning, but they’ve had their share of inconsistency and letdowns.
For a franchise that hasn’t made a deep postseason run in decades, the pressure is always dialed up. Prescott knows that - and he’s not running from it.
In fact, he’s doubling down on his commitment, making it clear he has no plans to sit out the final stretch of the season, even if the playoff picture is already coming into focus.
“Absolutely not, sorry, sorry… especially on Christmas,” Prescott said when asked if he’d consider taking a seat.
And if offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer were to suggest otherwise?
“I’d fight him,” Prescott said with a grin.
That’s vintage Dak - competitive, confident, and unwilling to coast through any part of the season. It’s also a reminder that, for all the scrutiny he faces, he’s still the emotional center of this team. Whether or not the Cowboys make a deep January run, Prescott’s message is clear: the standard is higher, and he’s going to do everything in his power to make sure the entire organization lives up to it.
For Dallas, it’s not just about finishing strong - it’s about setting the tone for what comes next. And with Prescott leading the charge, that tone is starting to sound a lot more urgent.