When it comes to the regular season — maybe the last decade — there might not be a consistently better NFL quarterback over the last 5 years than Dallas Cowboys star Dak Prescott.
Prescott has become the walking, talking definition of reports of his demise being greatly over exaggerated as he is, once again, playing as good as anyone in the league right now and doing so with no defense to speak of and even, in his last outing, without his best target in NFL All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.
Dak Prescott is playing out of his mind so far this year,” ESPN’s Mina Kimes said on The Mina Kimes Show with Lenny on October 2. “Which, like, every few years we get this. We get like an insane Dak season where he’s just dropping dimes … like this is prime Dak right here. Even though he’s 10 years into his career. This is prime Dak. He has every single answer.’
Prescott’s play through 4 games — despite a 1-2-1 record — ha been impeccable and he leads the NFL with 1,119 passing yards and 7 touchdowns. He has also, somehow, essentially made the Cowboys must-see TV headed into a Week 5 road game against the New York Jets.
I don’t like this narrative that Dak Prescott just became a really good QB,” Ernie the Cowboys Fan wrote on his official X account on October 2. “He’s led numerous top 5 offenses through out his career under multiple offensive coordinators. He’s been an MVP candidate and an All Pro. Pay attention please.”
Prescott Has Been Even Better Under Pressure
While the debate over how good Prescott has been rages on — there will always be critics — analytics deep dives show us just how incredible he’s been in 2025 and that he’s done so coming off season-ending hamstring surgery that cost him the final 9 games of the year speaks even more to what he’s done
According to Pro Football Focus, no quarterback has been better under pressure in the pocket this season than Prescott — his 90.2 overall grade under pressure is the best for any NFL quarterback in 2025 so far.
As long as Dak is playing like this, the Cowboys can play with anyone,” PFF’s Trevor Sikkema said on The PFF NFL Show.
Hands Down, NFL’s Most Divisive QB
Want to start a wild football debate with your friends? Bring up Prescott.
Twice in his career, he’s become the highest paid player in NFL history. First, with a 4-year, $160 million contract in 2020 then again before the 2024 season with a 4-year, $240 million contract after he finished as NFL MVP runner-up in 2023.
For all those mountains of cash from Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, it still hasn’t been able to buy the Cowboys even a spot in the NFC Championship Game to this point in Prescott’s career.
In May, ESPN’s Ryan Clark called Prescott the “Most Respected” player in the Cowboys’ locker room.
That characterization was immediately called into question by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who pushed back on the “respect” factor.
“Do people respect the man who they know isn’t going to show up in January?” Smith asked. ” … I think he’s a fabulous regular season quarterback who does an outstanding job of making sure he gets paid.”
