Over the course of his 10 years as the quarterback of the Cowboys, Dak Prescott has established himself as one of the best passers in the league and has earned three Pro Bowl spots because of it. With three seasons of 4,000 yards or more passing, Prescott owns three of the Top 5 passing years in Cowboys franchise history.
But as much as his on-field production has defined Prescott to this point, he has also been defined by his leadership, in the locker room and way from the field. And there’s not much that has tested that leadership quite like the last few weeks in Dallas, where the Cowboys underwent an upheaval following the suicide of teammate Marshawn Kneeland.
While it took all hands from the Cowboys’ organizational structure, starting with the front office and next down to the coaching staff, to cope with the Kneeland tragedy, the most effective leadership comes from players. Prescott took up that mantle.
Dak Prescott a Cowboys ‘Stalwart’
Asked about Prescott’s importance as a leader for the Cowboys in the last few weeks, team owner and general manager Jerry Jones had effusive praise.
Speaking on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Tuesday, Jones called Prescott the franchise “stalwart.”
“Well, he again just as time and time again, he is the best leader that I’ve been around for a team and period,” Jones said. “And he just has a natural sense of what the situation calls for–he’s had it since he walked through the door, and so much of the good things that he’s been a part of had to do with that skill right there.
“But then you see it, he brings a certain confidence out there. Then, you know you got a guy that, boy, he can have a bad series, he can have a bad quarter, but you know you got a guy that will come out there and just completely erase it from his mind and really be as aggressive as it calls for him. From the get-go this year, he’s been our stalwart, relative to our chance to win this year. And now, we’re giving him a chance.”
Cowboys Still a Playoff Longshot
Of course, the big picture on Prescott remains the same, and in the end, his tenure with the Cowboys will be judged by what he accomplishes in the playoffs and not how he leads in Weeks 1-18. As of now, at 4-5-1 and with the Eagles on tap in Week 12, the Cowboys are a longshot to make the playoffs.
They have, according to PlayoffStatus.com, a 13% chance of reaching the playoffs.
Dak Prescott: ‘Why Not?’
But 13% is not zero, and Prescott is trying to get his Cowboys teammates to take a positive outlook on the situation.
I know I’ve been saying that, [and] I’ll probably keep saying that, ‘Why not?’” Prescott said. “And it’s more about we’re in control, right? We’re in control, and life’s going to throw things at us, and it threw us a hell of a curveball this past week,” Prescott said. “And how are we going to respond? That’s what I was telling the team. To have a testimony we’ve got to go through a test. And this is a big test to our brotherhood and who we are, and to this organization, to us individually.
“Let’s have pride and let’s honor our brother. And if we can continue to do that, move forward carrying that light and play the way that we did tonight, why not?”
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