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Rayne Dakota Prescott (born July 29, 1993) is an
American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Am ...
for the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divis ...
of the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the majo ...
(NFL). He played
college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football in the United States, American football rules first gained populari ...
at Mississippi State, where he twice received first-team All- SEC honors, and was selected by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the
2016 NFL Draft The 2016 NFL Draft was the 81st annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. As in 2015, the draft took place at the Auditorium Theatre and Grant Park in Chicago. The draft ...
. Intended to serve as a backup in his rookie season, Prescott became the Cowboys' starting quarterback after starter
Tony Romo Antonio Ramiro Romo (born April 21, 1980) is an American sportscaster and former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Eastern Illino ...
was injured in the preseason. He went on to lead the Cowboys to the top seed of the
National Football Conference The National Football Conference (NFC) is one of the two conferences of the National Football League (NFL), the highest professional level of American football in the United States. The NFC and its counterpart, the American Football Conference ( ...
(NFC) and set several rookie quarterback records, earning him Offensive Rookie of the Year. Prescott has since led the Cowboys to two additional division titles and made two
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players. The format has changed thro ...
appearances.


Early years

Dak is the youngest of Nathaniel Prescott's and his late wife Peggy's three children. While she worked as a manager of a truck stop, Prescott attended Haughton High School in
Haughton, Louisiana Haughton is a town in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 4,539 in 2020. It is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan statistical area. Geography Haughton is located east of Bossier City and east of Shr ...
, where he played football for the Buccaneers. As a
senior Senior (shortened as Sr.) means "the elder" in Latin and is often used as a suffix for the elder of two or more people in the same family with the same given name, usually a parent or grandparent. It may also refer to: * Senior (name), a surname ...
, he completed 159-of-258 passes for 2,860 yards and 39
touchdowns A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
. He also rushed for 951 yards on 90 attempts with 17 touchdowns, and led Haughton to become 2010 District 1-AAAA Champions. Peggy had colon cancer and died on November 3, 2013. A 3-star recruit, Dak accepted a scholarship from Mississippi State over offers from
Louisiana Tech Louisiana Tech University (Louisiana Tech, La. Tech, or simply Tech) is a public research university in Ruston, Louisiana. It is part of the University of Louisiana System and classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activi ...
, LSU, Memphis, Nicholls State, North Texas, and TCU.


College career

Prescott was
redshirted Redshirt, in United States college athletics, is a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen their period of eligibility. Typically, a student's athletic eligibility in a given sport is four seasons, aligning with the ...
as a true freshman with Mississippi State in 2011. As a backup to
Tyler Russell Tyler Ryan Russell (born December 6, 1990) is an American football quarterback. He had played college football from 2010 to 2013 for Mississippi State University, where he placed fifth on the Bulldogs' career passing list with 5,441 passing ya ...
in 2012, he played in 12 games, completing 18 of 29 passes for 194 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He also scored four rushing touchdowns, with 110 yards on 32 carries. Prescott began as the backup to Russell again in the 2013 season, but took over as the starter when Russell suffered a concussion. He played in 11 games, completing 156 of 267 passes for 1,940 yards with 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also ran for 829 yards on 134 carries with 13 touchdowns. He was the MVP of the 2013 Liberty Bowl after leading the Bulldogs to a 44–7 win over the Rice Owls. His 2013 season performance ranks seventh in passing yards (1,940), tied for fifth in rushing touchdowns (13), and fourth in total yards (2,769) and total touchdowns (23). Following the season, he was named to the 2013 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll. In his first season as a full-time starter in 2014, Prescott led the Bulldogs to a 10–2
regular season In an organized sports league, a typical season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session: for example, in Major League Baseball the season lasts approximately from the last week of March to the last week of ...
record, its first #1 ranking in program history, and led them to the
Orange Bowl The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Miami metropolitan area. It has been played annually since January 1, 1935, making it, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Sun Bowl, the second-oldest bowl game in ...
. During the 2014 season, Prescott broke 10 school records including: single season passing yards (3,449), total yards of total offense (4,435), passing touchdowns (27), and total touchdowns (41). Additionally his 14 rushing touchdowns is tied for fourth in school history. Prescott also garnered several accolades throughout and following the season. He was named the Manning Award Player of the Week five times (vs. UAB, at LSU, vs. Texas A&M, vs. Auburn, vs. Vanderbilt); the 2014 SEC Offensive Player of the Week three times (at LSU, vs. Auburn, vs. Vanderbilt); the Athlon Sports, Davey O'Brien, Maxwell Award Player of the Week twice each (at LSU, vs. A&M); and the 24/7 Sports National Offensive Player of Week (at LSU). He was named a 2014 Honorable Mention All-American by SI.com; named to the 2014 First-team All-SEC team by the AP, Coaches, and ESPN.com; and on the 2014 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll. He won the
Conerly Trophy The C Spire Conerly Trophy is an award given annually to the best college football player in the state of Mississippi by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. Voting Sixty media representatives from across Mississippi determine the Trophy recipien ...
and was a finalist for the Maxwell Award, the
Davey O'Brien Award The Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National C ...
, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award, and the Manning Award. He also finished eighth in the 2014
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and har ...
voting and received two first-place votes. Prior to the 2015 season, he was named a 2015 National Player of the Year Candidate, was selected to two Preseason All-American teams (
Athlon Sports Parade Media (previously known as AMG/Parade and Athlon Media Group) is a publisher founded in 1967 that is based in Nashville, Tennessee. Nashville's Spencer Hays was its majority stockholder. It was purchased by The Arena Group in 2022 and n ...
and
Phil Steele Phil Steele (c. 1960) is an American sportswriter and analyst who focuses exclusively on college and professional football. He is considered a "highly respected prognosticator" within the sports media. His company, Phil Steele Publications, pr ...
), and was chosen First-team Preseason All-SEC by the media. During the 2015 season, he became the fourth player in FBS history to pass for 60 touchdowns and rush for 40 touchdowns in a career, joining
Dan LeFevour Daniel Terrence LeFevour (born March 19, 1987) is a former Canadian football quarterback. He was originally drafted in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears and spent time with three other NFL teams (without appearing in a re ...
of
Central Michigan Central Michigan, also called Mid Michigan, is a region in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As its name implies, it is the middle area of the Lower Peninsula. Lower Michigan is said to resemble a mitten, and Mid Michigan cor ...
, Tim Tebow of
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, and
Colin Kaepernick Colin Rand Kaepernick ( ; born November 3, 1987) is an American civil rights activist and football quarterback who is a free agent. He played six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL). In 2016, he knelt du ...
of
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
. His 2,411 rushing yards places him third in all-time rushing yards by a quarterback in SEC history behind Tebow and Matt Jones of
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...
. He ranks fourth in SEC history with 107 total touchdowns responsible for (passing, rushing, and receiving) and fifth in total yards (rushing and passing) with 11,153. His streak of 288 consecutive pass attempts without an interception is the longest in school history and third-longest in SEC history. In the Bulldogs' 2015 game against the
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...
, he set the school single game record and tied the SEC single game record for touchdowns responsible for with seven (five passing two rushing) and set a new school record for touchdown passes in a single game. He was named the AutoNation National Offensive Player of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America, the Davey O'Brien Award National Quarterback of the Week, a Manning Award Star of the Week by the
Allstate Sugar Bowl The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in New Orleans, Louisiana. Played annually since January 1, 1935, it is tied with the Orange Bowl and Sun Bowl as the second-oldest bowl games in the country, surpassed onl ...
, and the SEC offensive player of the week following his performance in the Bulldogs' victory over
Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
, a game in which he passed for 348 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 117 yards and three touchdowns. The six touchdowns in a single contest tied the school record set by
Jackie Parker John Dickerson "Jackie" Parker (January 1, 1932 – November 7, 2006) was an American gridiron football player and coach. He was an All-American in college football and an outstanding professional football player in the Canadian Football League ...
in 1952 and Prescott became the first player in school history to throw for over 300 yards and rush for over 100 yards in the same game. This was the fourth time that he has been named SEC Offensive Player of the Week, the most in program history. Prescott received further national recognition by being placed on several national award watch lists including being named a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, a semifinalist for both the Maxwell Award and the Davey O'Brien Award, placed on the watch list for the
Walter Camp Player of the Year Award The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given annually to the collegiate American football player of the year, as decided by a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I FBS head coaches and sports information directo ...
, the Manning Award, the
Wuerffel Trophy The Wuerffel Trophy is an award given annually to the college football player "who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement." The trophy, designed by W. Stanley Proctor and named in honor of former Univers ...
, and the
Senior Bowl The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football all-star game played annually in late January or early February in Mobile, Alabama, which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those players who have completed their college eligibility. Pr ...
, and won the Senior CLASS Award as well as being awarded the 2017 NCAA Today's Top 10 Award. For the season he passed for 3,793 yards, 29 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns. For his career, Prescott finished third in SEC history in total yards, and fourth in total touchdowns. He holds 38 school records.


College statistics


Records and honors

* Single game record for passing yards in the Orange Bowl (453) * Single game record for passing attempts in the Orange Bowl (51, tied) * Single game record for passing completions in the Orange Bowl (33, tied) * Single game record for passing yards in the Belk Bowl (380) * Single game record for total yards in the Belk Bowl (427) * Single game record for touchdown passes in the Belk Bowl with (4, tied) * 2016 Senior Bowl Most Outstanding Player *2015 Senior Class Award *2014 and 2015 Conerly Trophy * 2015 Belk Bowl MVP *2013, 2014, and 2015 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll *2015 SEC Offensive Player of the Week (at Arkansas and vs. Kentucky) *2014 and 2015 First-team All-SEC (AP and Coaches) *2014 SEC Offensive Player of Week (at LSU, vs. Auburn, and vs. Vanderbilt) * 2013 Liberty Bowl MVP


Professional career

The
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divis ...
entered the
2016 NFL Draft The 2016 NFL Draft was the 81st annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. As in 2015, the draft took place at the Auditorium Theatre and Grant Park in Chicago. The draft ...
with a plan to acquire a young quarterback to develop behind
Tony Romo Antonio Ramiro Romo (born April 21, 1980) is an American sportscaster and former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Eastern Illino ...
. After failing to trade up to select
Paxton Lynch Paxton James Lynch (born February 12, 1994) is an American football quarterback for the Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League (USFL). He played college football at University of Memphis, and was drafted in the first round of th ...
and
Connor Cook Connor Cook (born January 29, 1993) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans and was their starting quarterback from 2013 to 2015. He holds the record for most career wins at Michigan ...
, they selected Prescott in the fourth round (135th overall). He was signed to a four-year deal.


2016 season

When Prescott joined the Dallas Cowboys for their rookie mini camp, he was issued #10 since veteran wide receiver
Devin Street Devin Curtis Street (born March 30, 1991) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Pittsburgh. Early years Str ...
wore his college number 15. During the first week of rookie mini camp, he decided to switch to #4 in honor of his mother, whose birthday is on September 4. He is the first Dallas Cowboys quarterback in history to wear #4. The rookie moved up on the depth chart when backup quarterback
Kellen Moore Kellen Christopher Moore (born July 5, 1988) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played six seasons in the NFL for the ...
broke his right
tibia The tibia (; ), also known as the shinbone or shankbone, is the larger, stronger, and anterior (frontal) of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates (the other being the fibula, behind and to the outside of the tibia); it connects ...
during the first week of training camp and after the Cowboys could not reach an agreement with the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...
to trade for backup Josh McCown. After Moore's injury, Prescott competed with second-year quarterback Jameill Showers for the backup job to established starter
Tony Romo Antonio Ramiro Romo (born April 21, 1980) is an American sportscaster and former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Eastern Illino ...
. Several reports from August training camp indicated that Showers outperformed Prescott, showing greater accuracy and a quicker release. However, the Cowboys coaching staff made the decision to start Prescott in the team's preseason opener at the Los Angeles Rams. Working with the Cowboys' first-team offense, Prescott completed 10 of 12 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns in one half of action, though Dallas would lose the game 28–24. Prescott continued his hot streak throughout the rest of the preseason, impressing all with his veteran-like pocket poise and decision making. After starting quarterback
Tony Romo Antonio Ramiro Romo (born April 21, 1980) is an American sportscaster and former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Eastern Illino ...
suffered a
vertebral compression fracture A compression fracture is a collapse of a vertebra. It may be due to trauma or due to a weakening of the vertebra (compare with burst fracture). This weakening is seen in patients with osteoporosis or osteogenesis imperfecta, lytic lesions from ...
during the first quarter of the Cowboys' Week 3 preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks, and in light of Romo's projected 8–10 week recovery time, Prescott was named the Cowboys starter for the beginning of the 2016 season. Prescott's first regular-season start came on September 11 at home against the New York Giants, becoming the fourth rookie quarterback to open the season as a starter in franchise history, and the first rookie to start at quarterback for the Cowboys since
Quincy Carter LaVonya Quintelle "Quincy" Carter (born October 13, 1977) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Georgia and for the National Football League teams Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets. Outside the NFL, he also was ...
in 2001. He totaled 227 passing yards, as the Cowboys lost, 20–19. During Week 2 against the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
, Prescott had 292 passing yards and a rushing touchdown as the Cowboys won, 27–23. Prescott threw his first NFL touchdown, a 17-yarder to wide receiver
Dez Bryant Desmond Demond Bryant (born November 4, 1988) is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Oklahoma State, where he earned All-American honors in 2008. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fir ...
, during the Cowboys' Week 3 matchup against the Chicago Bears. In total, he threw for 248 yards, the one touchdown, and also had a rushing score. The Cowboys won 31–17. In Week 4 at the
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
, Prescott passed for two touchdowns and 245 yards as the Cowboys won, 24–17. Against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5, Prescott threw for 227 yards and a touchdown while rushing for a touchdown in a 28–14 Cowboys victory. During Week 6 against the Green Bay Packers, Prescott had three touchdowns and 247 passing yards as the Cowboys won 30–16. The game marked the end of Prescott's interception-free streak. After a bye week, the Cowboys faced off against the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
in Week 8, and fellow rookie quarterback
Carson Wentz Carson James Wentz (born December 30, 1992) is an American football quarterback for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). Wentz played college football at North Dakota State, where he won two consecutive NCAA FCS ...
for their first career matchup. The Cowboys prevailed in overtime 29–23, with Prescott totaling three touchdowns (two passing and one rushing) on 287 passing yards. Week 9 saw the Cowboys beat the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...
35–10, with Prescott providing 247 passing yards and three touchdowns. In Week 10 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cowboys won 35–30, with Prescott passing for 319 yards and three touchdowns. One of the touchdowns was a then-career-high 83-yarder to Ezekiel Elliott. The Cowboys continued their win streak in Week 11 by beating the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays it ...
27–17 with Prescott throwing for 301 yards and three touchdowns. Week 12's annual
Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden ...
game provided a 31–26 win over the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
in their second divisional matchup. Prescott had two touchdowns (one rushing and one passing) and 195 passing yards. His outstanding performance in November earned him Offensive Rookie of the Month. During Week 13 against the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
, the Cowboys won 17–15, with Prescott passing for 139 yards and one touchdown. In Week 14, the Cowboys were dealt their second loss on the season, by a score of 10–7, from division rival New York Giants, with Prescott passing for 169 yards and one touchdown in the contest. In Week 15, the Cowboys beat the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
26–20, with Prescott providing 279 passing yards and one rushing touchdown. Against the Detroit Lions in Week 16, the Cowboys won 42–21. Prescott passed for 212 yards and three touchdowns. In the Week 17 regular season finale, with the top playoff seed in the NFC clinched, the Cowboys decided to rest several starters. They lost to the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
27–13, with Prescott only attempting eight passes for a total of 37 yards before being benched. As a rookie, Prescott started all 16 games with 3,667 passing yards, 282 rushing yards, 29 total touchdowns, and only four interceptions, and his 67.8% completion percentage ranked fourth among NFL quarterbacks in 2016. With the Cowboys finishing the season with a 13–3 record, the team clinched the NFC East title. In the Divisional Round, the Cowboys faced the Green Bay Packers. Prescott completed 24 of 38 for 302 yards, with a quarterback rating of 103.2, and three touchdowns and an interception. Despite his strong performance, the Cowboys lost 34–31, ending their season. After a spectacular rookie season, Prescott was selected to the
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players. The format has changed thro ...
and named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, receiving 28 of 50 votes, beating out running back and teammate
Ezekiel Elliott Ezekiel Elijah Elliott (born July 22, 1995) is an American football running back for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State, where he earned second-team All-America honors in 2015. Ell ...
by 7 votes. He finished sixth in MVP voting. He was ranked 14th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team, becoming the second Cowboys quarterback to receive this award, joining
Troy Aikman Troy Kenneth Aikman (born November 21, 1966) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. After transferring from Oklahoma, he played college football at UCLA, ...
in 1989.


2017 season

Prescott started his second professional season with 268 passing yards and a touchdown in the 19–3 victory over the New York Giants on '' Sunday Night Football''. He followed that up with his first setback of the season with a 42–17 loss to the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
, where he was 30-of-50 for 238 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. In the next game against the Arizona Cardinals on ''
Monday Night Football ''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, A ...
'', he bounced back with 183 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and his first rushing touchdown of the season in the primetime 28–17 win. In Week 4, against the Los Angeles Rams, he was 20-of-36 for 252 yards, three passing touchdowns, and one interception in the 35–30 defeat. In the next game against the Green Bay Packers, he posted similar results, going 25-of-36 for 251 passing yards, three touchdowns, one rushing touchdown, and one interception in the 35–31 loss. The Cowboys snapped their small losing streak in the next game against the
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
, posting a 40–10 victory. In the game, Prescott had his third consecutive game with three touchdown passes. Prescott and the Cowboys followed up the big win over San Francisco with two victories over the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
and
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The ...
to put the team at a 5–3 record. Going into the next game against the Atlanta Falcons, the Cowboys learned that they would be without running back Ezekiel Elliott for a six-game suspension, putting more pressure on Prescott for the success of the offense. In the game against the Falcons, Prescott was 20-of-30 for 176 yards and had a rushing touchdown, but was sacked 8 times as the Cowboys fell 27–7. In the next game against the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
, he went 18-of-31 for 145 yards and three interceptions in the 37–9 loss. The Cowboys' struggles on offense continued in the next game against the
Los Angeles Chargers The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division, and ...
on
Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden ...
. The Cowboys fell 28–6 as Prescott tallied 179 passing yards and two interceptions. Despite the setbacks, the Cowboys remained alive in playoff contention and responded with a 38–14 win over the Washington Redskins, where Prescott threw for two touchdowns. In the next game against the New York Giants, he was 20-of-30 for a season-high 332 yards and three passing touchdowns, including an 81-yarder to Rod Smith, in the 30–10 victory. Prescott had a rushing touchdown in the next game as the Cowboys prevailed 20–17 over the Oakland Raiders. In a pivotal Week 16 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks on Christmas Eve, he recorded 181 passing yards but had two interceptions in the costly 21–12 loss, which eliminated the Cowboys from postseason contention. However, even if the Cowboys won out, they would have still missed the playoffs due to the Atlanta Falcons finishing 10–6 (thus owning the tiebreaker). Prescott finished the season with 179 passing yards and a touchdown in the 6–0 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 17. Overall, Prescott finished his second professional season with 3,324 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 357 rushing yards, and six rushing touchdowns.


2018 season

Prescott started his third professional season passing for 170 yards in a 16–8 loss to the
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
. In the next game, he helped lead the Cowboys to their first win of the 2018 season with 160 passing yards and a touchdown against the New York Giants. After a loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3, Prescott passed for 255 yards and two touchdowns in a 26–24 victory over the Detroit Lions. In Week 5, against the Houston Texans on ''Sunday Night Football'', he passed for 208 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions in the 19–16 overtime road loss. In Week 6, a 40–7 victory over the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
, he had 183 passing yards and two passing touchdowns along with 11 carries for 82 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. After losses to the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
and
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their hom ...
, he helped lead the Cowboys to a 27–20 road victory over the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
with 270 passing yards and a touchdown along with nine rushing yards and a touchdown. In that stretch, the Cowboys acquired
Amari Cooper Amari Cooper (born June 17, 1994) is an American football wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama, where he was the Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation's top receiv ...
from the Oakland Raiders as a new receiving target for Prescott. After leading a game-winning drive over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11, he helped lead the Cowboys to a 31–23 victory over the Washington Redskins on Thanksgiving. In the victory, he had 289 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and his third consecutive game with a rushing touchdown. One of his passing touchdowns was a career-high 90-yard touchdown pass to Cooper. In Week 13, Prescott passed for 248 yards and one passing touchdown and rushed for 22 yards as the Cowboys defeated the 10–1
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
by a score of 13–10. In the next game against the Eagles, Prescott was held to 222 with two interceptions through three quarters, but exploded for 270 yards and three touchdowns to Cooper in the fourth quarter and overtime, ending with a career-high 455 yards, a 104.9 passer rating, and a franchise-record 42 completions in the 29–23 victory. The 42 completions were the most for any quarterback in a single game in the 2018 regular season. After a Week 15 shutout loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Prescott rebounded with 161 passing yards, one passing touchdown, and one rushing touchdown in Week 16 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After the win, the Dallas Cowboys won the NFC East for the second time in three years. In the regular season finale against the New York Giants, Prescott threw for 387 passing yards, and four passing touchdowns in the 36–35 win, making the Cowboys finish 2018 with a 10–6 record. The Cowboys entered the playoffs as the fourth seed. They faced off against the Seahawks in the Wild Card Round, which at the time, Prescott was 0–2 against them. He passed for 226 yards, a touchdown, and an interception along with 29 rushing yards and a crucial touchdown late in the fourth quarter of the 24–22 victory to earn his first playoff victory. In the Divisional Round against the Los Angeles Rams, he passed for 266 yards and a touchdown and rushed for three yards and a touchdown as the Cowboys fell 30–22. Prescott earned his second
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players. The format has changed thro ...
selection as an alternate, replacing
Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees i ...
, where he threw a touchdown pass to
Austin Hooper Austin Manuel Hooper (born October 29, 1994) is an American football tight end for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Stanford, and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round o ...
for the NFC side's only points of the game as the team lost to the AFC side 7–26.


2019 season

In the season-opener against the New York Giants, Prescott threw 25 times for 405 yards and four touchdowns in the 35–17 win. Prescott's performance in the game gave him a
perfect passer rating In the National Football League (NFL), the highest official passer rating that a quarterback can achieve is 158.3, which is called a "perfect passer rating". To qualify, during a single game a quarterback must attempt at least 10 passes, have zero ...
, the first Dallas quarterback to achieve the feat since
Craig Morton Larry Craig Morton (born February 5, 1943) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos. He played college football at California, ...
on October 5, 1969. Prescott was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Week 1. During Week 5 against the Green Bay Packers, Prescott finished with 463 passing yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions as the Cowboys lost 24–34. During Week 9 against the Giants on ''Monday Night Football'', Prescott's first pass attempt was intercepted by
Antoine Bethea Antoine Akeem Bethea (; born July 27, 1984) is a former American football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He played college football for Howard and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round o ...
. Afterwards, he threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns in the 37–18 road victory. In Week 10 against the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
on ''NBC Sunday Night Football'', Prescott threw for 397 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception in the 28–24 loss. During Week 11 against the Detroit Lions, Prescott finished with 444 passing yards, 28 rushing yards, and four total touchdowns in the 35–27 road victory. For his efforts, Prescott was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time in 2019. In Week 17 against the Redskins, Prescott threw for 303 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 35 yards during the 47–16 win. Prescott finished the season with 4,902 passing yards, which ranked second in the league, 30 touchdowns, which ranked fourth, and 11 interceptions. In addition, he recorded 52 carries for 277 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns as the Cowboys missed the playoffs with an 8–8 record. He was ranked 46th by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2020 The NFL Top 100 Players of 2020 is the tenth season in the NFL Top 100 series. It premiered on July 26, 2020 and the final episode aired on July 29, 2020. It started later than in previous years, and the show was shown in 4 consecutive days instea ...
.


2020 season

The Cowboys placed the
franchise tag In the National Football League (NFL), the franchise tag is a designation a team may apply to a player scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. The tag binds the player to the team for one year if certain conditions are met. Each team has on ...
on Prescott on March 16, 2020, worth $31.4 million for the 2020 season. He signed the tender on June 22, 2020. In Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams on ''NBC Sunday Night Football'', Prescott threw for 266 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 30 yards as the Cowboys lost 20–17. In Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons, Prescott threw for 450 passing yards and a touchdown, and rushed for three additional touchdowns to help the Cowboys win 40–39. At one point during the game, the Falcons had a twenty-point lead over the Cowboys, but Prescott's four second half touchdowns aided by a successful onside kick and a last-second field goal won the game for the Cowboys. He became the first player in NFL history to pass for at least 400 yards and rush for three touchdowns in the same game. Prescott was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Week 2. During Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks, Prescott finished with 472 passing yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions as the Cowboys lost 38–31. During Week 4 against the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...
, Prescott finished with 502 passing yards, four touchdowns, an interception, and a lost fumble as the Cowboys lost 49–38. He became the first player in NFL history to pass for at least 450 yards in three consecutive games. In Week 5 against the New York Giants, Prescott suffered an injury to his right ankle, and was carted off the field. He completed 14 passes for 166 yards and an interception plus had a receiving touchdown before leaving. It was revealed that he had suffered a compound fracture and dislocation to his right ankle, and he underwent surgery the same night, ending his season. Prescott was placed on season-ending injured reserve on October 19, 2020.


2021 season

The Cowboys placed the exclusive franchise tag on Prescott for the second consecutive season on March 9, 2021, and he signed a four-year contract extension with the Cowboys the next day for $160 million with $126 million guaranteed. The deal included a $66 million signing bonus, the highest in NFL history. In June 2021, he left Adidas and signed a five-year deal with Jordan. In his first game back from his injury in Week 1 against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
, Prescott threw for 403 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception in a 31–29 loss. In Week 6, Prescott threw for 445 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception in a 35–29 overtime win over the New England Patriots. His performance earned him NFC Offensive Player Of The Week. In Week 16, Prescott threw four touchdowns in a 56–14 blowout win against the
Washington Football Team The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) E ...
as the Cowboys would go on to clinch the NFC East division title. For his performance against the Football Team, Prescott earned another NFC Offensive Player of the Week. In Week 18, Prescott threw for 295 yards and five touchdowns in a 51–26 win over the Eagles, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week. As the division winner, the Cowboys hosted the
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
in the Wild Card Round. In the game, Prescott completed 23 of 43 passing attempts for 254 yards with one touchdown and one interception, and also rushed for 27 yards and an additional touchdown in the 23–17 loss. On the last play with 14 seconds left, Prescott ran a quarterback draw up the middle for 17 yards, and was unable to spike the ball to stop the clock from running down. Despite the loss, Prescott was named NVP (Nickelodeon Valuable Player) with more than 81 percent of the online vote, becoming the second losing quarterback to do so in as many years. Prescott later apologized for comments which appeared to condone fans throwing objects at the officiating crew after the game ended.


2022 season

In Week 1 against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
, Prescott struggled, completing 14 of 29 passes for 134 yards and an interception before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a right thumb injury in the 19–3 loss. Later, it was announced Prescott will miss 6-8 weeks with the thumb injury. Prescott returned in Week 7 against the Detroit Lions, where he threw 207 yards and a touchdown in the 24-6 win.


NFL career statistics


Regular season


Postseason


Career highlights and awards

*
NFL Rookie of the Year Various entities present a National Football League Rookie of the Year Award each season to the top rookie(s) in the National Football League (NFL). The NFL considers the (rookie) of the year awards by the Associated Press (AP) to be its official ...
(2016) * Offensive Rookie of the Month – November 2016 * Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year winner (2016) * 5×
Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week is an award given to the best performing rookie players in the National Football League (NFL). It was first awarded in 2002 and is sponsored by Pepsi. Winners are chosen among five finalists every week during the seaso ...
* 2×
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players. The format has changed thro ...
( 2016, 2018) * 2× FedEx Air Player of the Week (2018) * 4×
NFC NFC may refer to: Psychology * Need for cognition, in psychology * Need for closure, social psychological term Sports * NFC Championship Game, the National Football Conference Championship Game * NCAA Football Championship (Philippines) * Nati ...
Offensive Player of the Week (Week 1, 2019, Week 11, 2019, Week 2, 2020, Week 6, 2021)


NFL records

In Week 6 of the 2016 season, Prescott, with 176 attempts, broke the record for most consecutive pass attempts without an interception to start a career—a record previously held by
Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
at 162 attempts in 2000–2001. This is also the record for consecutive attempts without an interception by a rookie, having broken the record set by
Carson Wentz Carson James Wentz (born December 30, 1992) is an American football quarterback for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). Wentz played college football at North Dakota State, where he won two consecutive NCAA FCS ...
at 134 earlier in 2016. Wentz and Prescott had been exchanging the rookie record after having broken the
Chad Hutchinson Chad Martin Hutchinson (born February 21, 1977) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears. He also is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher for the St. Louis Cardin ...
record of 95 set in 2002. Prescott finished his 2016 rookie regular season with a record 11 games with an over 100 NFL passer rating, breaking the rookie record of nine games set by Russell Wilson in 2012. He tied the
Ben Roethlisberger Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr. (; born March 2, 1982), nicknamed "Big Ben", is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football ...
2004 rookie record of winning 13 games as a starter. His NFL passer rating of 104.9 broke
Robert Griffin III Robert Lee Griffin III (born February 12, 1990), nicknamed RG3 and RGIII, is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He played college football at Baylor, where he won the Heisman Trophy as a senior, and was selected second overa ...
's rookie record of 102.4 set in 2012. His 0.87% interception to attempts (459–4) broke the rookie record of 1.27% (393–5) set by Robert Griffin III. He threw 23 touchdowns and 4 interceptions for a touchdown to interception ratio of 5.75 breaking the previous rookie record of 4.00 (20 touchdowns and 5 interceptions) set by Robert Griffin III, and for a touchdown to interception differential of 19 breaking Russell Wilson's rookie record of 16 (26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions). His 67.76% pass completion percentage broke the rookie record of 66.44% set by Ben Roethlisberger. In a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 18, 2016, Prescott, with an 88.9% completion percentage, broke the rookie single game record of 87.0% set by
Mike Glennon Michael Joseph Glennon (born December 12, 1989) is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He played college football at NC State and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He has also p ...
in 2013.


Cowboys franchise records

* Most Completions (game): 42 (December 9, 2018, against the Philadelphia Eagles) * Most Completions (rookie season): 311 (2016) * Most Completions (game, as a rookie): 32 (December 18, 2016, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) * Most Pass Attempts (rookie season): 459 (2016) * Most Passing Yards (rookie season): 3,667 (2016) * Most Passing Touchdowns (season): 37 (2021) * Most Passing Touchdowns (rookie season): 23 (2016) * Best Passer Rating (rookie season): 104.9 (2016) * Best Passer Rating (game, as a rookie): 148.3 (December 16, 2016, against the Detroit Lions) * Most Yds/Pass Att (rookie season): 7.99 (2016) * Most Pass Yds/Game (career): 245.6 *Most Pass Yds/Game (season): 306.6 (2019) * Most Pass Yds/Game (rookie season): 229.2 (2016) * Most 300+ yard passing games (rookie season): 3 *Completion Percentage (career): 65.8% *Interception Percentage: (career: minimum 16 starts): 1.8% *Interception Percentage: (season/rookie season): 0.9% (2016) *Most sacks taken: (season) 56 (2016) *Most 4th Quarter Comebacks (rookie season): 5 (2016) *Most 4th Quarter Comebacks (season): 5 (2016, tied with Tony Romo in 2012)


Personal life

Prescott is a Christian. He is the son of Nathaniel and Peggy Prescott and has two older brothers, Tad and Jace, an older sister, Natalie Prescott-Smith, and an older half-brother, Elliott Prescott, from his father's previous marriage. Jace was an offensive lineman at
Northwestern State Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSU) is a public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the Univer ...
. His mother died of colon cancer in November 2013. The Faith Fight Finish Foundation by Dak Prescott has been established in her honor, which helps people deal with adversity. His older brother Jace committed suicide in April 2020. His father is
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
and his late mother was European American. Prescott currently resides in
Frisco, Texas Frisco is a city in Collin and Denton counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and about from both Dallas Love Field and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Its population was 200,509 at the 2 ...
.


See also

*
Mississippi State Bulldogs football statistical leaders The Mississippi State Bulldogs football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Mississippi State Bulldogs football program in various categories, including passing, rushing, total offense, all-purpose yardage, receiving ...
*
List of National Football League records (individual) Here is a list of the records in the National Football League set by individual players. Service * Most seasons: 26, George Blanda, 1949–1958, 1960–1975 * Most seasons, one team: 21, Jason Hanson (Detroit Lions), 1992–2012 *List of NFL p ...


References


External links

*
Dallas Cowboys bio

Mississippi State Bulldogs bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prescott, Dak 1993 births African-American players of American football American football quarterbacks Dallas Cowboys players Living people Mississippi State Bulldogs football players National Conference Pro Bowl players People from Haughton, Louisiana People from Sulphur, Louisiana Players of American football from Louisiana 21st-century African-American sportspeople National Football League Offensive Rookie of the Year Award winners Ed Block Courage Award recipients