Dak Prescott isn’t pretending the burden is anything less than enormous as the Cowboys head toward the 2026 season.
The Dallas quarterback made that clear Friday at his Faith, Fight, Finish Foundation event, where he embraced the same hard-edged standard that has long hung over the franchise: it’s Super Bowl or bust. For Prescott, that’s not a slogan. It’s the job description.
"That's what's left for me," Prescott said. "It has always been my mindset.
It's the one thing I truly love about the Cowboys organization and the fanbase is it's that (Super Bowl) or nothing. That's what being a competitor is.
If that's not how you're wired, if that's not how you think, whether your'e a fan or a player or coach, then I think you're in the wrong business. And, honestly, I don't want you on my team.
"I love those expectations. Absolutely," Prescott added if their expectations were 'more realistic' this year.
He doubled down on that same theme in comments he had also made during a virtual fan meet-and-greet with Caleb Downs.
"That's the one thing I love about the Cowboys nation and being a player of the Cowboys is, it's Super Bowl or bust," Prescott said. "And truthfully, that's the only reason you play this game."
That pressure comes with the territory in Dallas, especially with the franchise still chasing its first Lombardi Trophy since the 1995 season, when Jerry Jones’ team won Super Bowl XXX. Prescott has been part of the Cowboys since 2016 and has guided them to five playoff appearances, but the last two seasons have not produced the kind of postseason breakthrough that quiets the noise.
Last season, Dallas finished second in the NFC West at 7-9-1, and Prescott put up 4,552 passing yards with 30 touchdowns.
Even with those numbers, he has taken plenty of heat from the fanbase, much of it tied to the four-year, $240 million extension he signed in 2024 and the lack of a playoff run that followed. But not everyone is putting that frustration on Prescott.
On Thursday, analyst Kevin Clark said Jerry Jones deserves the blame for the Cowboys’ uneven results over the past few seasons, while also calling Prescott one of the league’s most overlooked quarterbacks.
" Look at his numbers last year offensively," Clark said on 'First Take.'. "No issues driving the ball down the field.
Probably the best play-action passer in all of football for long stretches of last season. ... I think he's unbelievable.
"Dak Prescottt might be one of the most underappreciated players in football. I'll go further, I think he's the most underappreciated he has become a punchline. He's become a punchline because of the sins of Jerry Jones' roster building and Cowboys fans who always overhyped their team."
The Cowboys open the season on the road against the New York Giants on Sept. 13.
In Other News...
Cowboys Fans May Hate How This Jalen Carter Twist Helps Philly
A potential Eagles defensive move is drawing attention in a way Cowboys fans probably wont love, because it centers on two players who have already made life difficult for Dallas. Philadelphia is said to be weighing whether Jalen Carter is part of its long-term future, and that uncertainty has opened the door to a swap idea involving Josh Sweat, a pass rusher with a history of making an impact against the Cowboys.
For Dallas, the wrinkle is less about the mechanics of the deal than the familiar names attached to it. Sweat has already been a problem for the Cowboys, and any scenario that strengthens Philadelphias front while shifting pieces around the division is the kind of development that gets noticed quickly in NFC East circles. The bigger question is whether the Eagles are truly ready to move on from Carter, or whether this is just another reminder that their roster decisions can ripple straight into Dallas plans. [Read more 🡒]
Drew Shelton Puts Cowboys Tackle Concerns Back In Focus
The Cowboys kept their attention on the offensive line in the 2026 NFL Draft, adding Drew Shelton in the fourth round after a college career that made him one of Penn States most reliable tackles. Shelton arrives with the kind of rsum teams like to bet on up front: a full-time starter who spent two seasons on the left side and gave Dallas another young body to develop at a position that never seems to stay settled for long.
For now, the plan is straightforward. Shelton is expected to open his rookie season as a backup swing tackle, giving the Cowboys insurance on both edges while he works toward a larger role down the road. He is not being brought in to push Tyler Guyton or Terence Steele right away, but his arrival is another reminder that Dallas is still sorting out how it wants its tackle picture to look beyond the immediate season. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Just Raised The Pressure On Brandon Aubrey Even Higher
Brandon Aubreys rise has already changed the way the Cowboys think about the kicking game. After signing a record-setting four-year, $28 million deal, he now carries the highest total value, annual average and guaranteed money ever given to a kicker, which is a lot to ask of any specialist, even one who has been as steady as Aubrey has been for Dallas.
The pressure only grows from there because the standard he set in 2025 was so high. He made 36 of 42 field goals and 47 of 48 extra points, hit 11 kicks from 50 yards or longer and kept giving the Cowboys a weapon few teams can match, and the next step is even more ambitious. Projections for 2026 point to better accuracy and another run at the long-distance record book, which means Aubrey is no longer just trying to be reliable. He is being asked to keep redefining what reliable looks like. [Read more 🡒]