Is Dak Prescott ready to separate himself from Tony Romo?

With the Eagles handing Carson Wentz his dollars, all eyes turn to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. The critics are standing in line ready to roast the next Tony Romo.

When quarterback Dak Prescott signs his name, the NFL world will launch their missiles from all angles. The same thing happened to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, too. Let the roasting begin.

The job of leading America’s Team isn’t a fun one. Troy Aikman led the Dallas franchise to three titles, but he was still booed at the tail end of his playing days. Quarterback Tony Romo never took the Cowboys beyond the divisional round of the playoffs, and yet, he was the main reason the team was relevant in the first place.

Danny White compiled a 62-30 regular season record. He went 5-5 in the playoffs but is most remembered for losing three NFC Championship games. The fact that he played in three in the first place is overlooked. But if you ask some fans who wore number 11, some might say Drew Bledsoe.

This is the responsibility of playing quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. America’s Team. The star. Thanksgiving games. Of course, Dak Prescott is no stranger to this vibe. Entering his fourth year as a pro, number four is looking to further separate himself from the ghost of Tony Romo.

To accomplish this feat, there’s only one thing that matters. It does not involve statistics or dollars. Dak Prescott will have to take his team beyond the NFC Championship and win the Super Bowl, an accomplishment that eluded Romo.

When the Dallas Cowboys agree with Prescott on a contract, which should be in the $30 million neighborhood, it is understood that the franchise believes Prescott is the franchise man and that he has the ability to finish what Tony Romo couldn’t.

Prescott, to be clear, will submit his name next to heavyweights with names like Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan, Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, and Ben Roethlisberger. Each of those names has seen Super Bowls. One of those guys didn’t win a title (Ryan) but did appear in the big stage.

For Prescott, who owns a 95.9 career passer rating, nothing will get easier after he signs the big contract. His 67-25 touchdown to interception ratio doesn’t matter. His 66.1 completion percentage either. He has 18 rushing touchdowns, but that won’t be remembered either. Prescott is the holy grail of durability, starting all 48 games of his career, going 32-16 in the process with an additional three playoff games under his belt.

Still, none of this matters unless Dak Prescott separates himself from Tony Romo. And in order to do that, he will have to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to the Dallas Cowboys.