Being a quarterback in the NFL will always come with criticism. Being the signal caller for America’s Team will more often than not bring even more.
Prescott’s resume is peppered with three Pro Bowl selections, six seasons with 3,000-plus yards passing, three years with 4,000-plus yards passing and another trio of seasons with 30 or more touchdowns. The Cowboys’ QB1 also has a 73-41 record as a starter … in the regular season.
It’s the mistakes of Prescott and the Cowboys in the postseason that are often the glaring negatives used to vilify him. After leading the Cowboys to five postseason appearances, Prescott is 2-5 in the playoffs with both wins coming in the wild-card round.
Postseason success has eluded the Cowboys throughout the century.
Since its last Super Bowl in the 1995 season, Dallas has not advanced in the division, going 0-7 – worst in the NFL at the time, according to NFL Research.
Prescott, 31, was a toddler when the Cowboys won Super Bowl XXX.
Thus, the majority of Dallas’ struggles this century aren’t on him, but nonetheless he’s been the face of the franchise (at least among the players) in the ongoing playoff push.
The Cowboys have won nine division titles since their last win in the ’95 season, which is the most between conference championship games in NFL history, according to NFL Research. Prescott has been under center for four.
In the Super Bowl era (since 1967), there have only been five quarterbacks who have played in at least three league games without winning at least one, p.is NFL Research. There are two quarterbacks for the Cowboys: Tony Rome (0-3 in the League Cup) and Prescott (0-3).
Aside from all the usual criticism and social media rants heaped on NFL QBs, Prescott feels the harshest criticism leveled at the end of each season when the Cowboys rebound and add to the aforementioned historical trends.
In Cook’s eyes, however, that’s simply not fair.
“He can’t do it by himself,” said Cooks, who previously played for the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams and Houston Texans. “A lot of those great quarterbacks that I’ve been around, Tom (Brady) and Drew (Brees), don’t get me wrong, they won a lot of games, won a lot of Super Bowls, but they had a lot. help around them too, right?”
No matter how great the quarterback is, he can’t do it all by himself, as Cooks points out.
“We players around (Dak) had to step up as well,” Cooks said. “So when we hear that disrespect, I take it personally and as his teammates we should take it personally, because at the end of the day, somebody’s got to be able to help him get over the hump so we can win alone.” .”
Nevertheless, the Cowboys’ inability to advance past the division title during Prescott’s tenure has drawn much derision. That’s unlikely to change without a lengthy postseason run.
For now, though, Prescott will move on into a big 2024 season, the last on his current contract.
Regardless of the chatter surrounding Prescott, no matter how blasphemous it may be perceived, the longtime Cowboys QB will find plenty of free love if he goes that route.
Until then, Prescott, Cooks and the Cowboys aim to silence the doubters in 2024, starting Sunday when they open against the Cleveland Browns.